Joe Burke

ENG-408-001
November, 2013

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND ELA COURSE GOALS

A BRIDGE AND AN EXAMPLE

Introduction (a brief overview of my teaching philosophy)

I have wanted to be a teacher for my entire life, and I look forward to every aspect of the
job. There are, however, a few specific things that carry a disproportionately large level of
importance in my heart when it comes to teaching. One can be summed up very nicely by a quote
from the 90s television show Boy Meets World. Mr. Feeny, wise old teacher to the young main
characters, answers a question about his love for teaching by saying, it would be very easy for me
to tell you that I have dedicated the last thirty eight years of my life to several thousand young
minds, and that is my chief joy and reason for getting up in the morning. Except it isnt. I teach
because I like it, and because its fun for me (Boy Meets World, 1993-2000). While I do relate to
Feenys comments, this is not to say that I have no interest in the extrinsic fulfillment of enriching
the lives of children, but, however selfish it may seem, I also have a great deal of intrinsic
motivation; teaching is fun for me. I want my students to be intrinsically motivated as well. The
students natural interests can drive classroom progression (with support from the teacher), rather
than the teacher driving and the students supporting.
To be clear, this has nothing to do with specific classroom decorum: discussions, lectures,
activities, tests, it doesnt matter; I am not advocating for a quiet teacher, nor a talkative one. These
things all depend on the environment, the situation. Only one thing should be constant, and for that
I am advocating: an aware teacher. As mentioned, there is another specific idea that is highly
significant for me, and it is rooted in correcting a mistake I have observed in teachers for my entire
life. I am speaking of teachers who, it seems, have absolutely no theory of mind. That is, a teacher

who seems to believe that every student has the same brain and personality as him or herself.
Obviously a big part of teaching is being able to cater your instruction to the assortment of students
who come through your door. I have always tried to predict, and thoughtfully consider, the way
someone will receive what I present. In a successful classroom, the teacher needs to know that
intrinsic motivations must exist before students will be willing to socialize their enthusiasm for a
topic, that making meaningful semantic connections is the best way to retain information
(Goldstein, 118), and that the form of these motivations and connections will vary significantly
from person to person.
It follows that, in a successful classroom, there must be a communicative effort on the part
of both the teacher and the student. In the English classroom, specifically, we need to educate
students to be aware of shifting goals and changing perspectives, and we need to train them to be
adaptable during such movements. English education provides this training through a study of
the past, and the world of creating new texts.
I would love to teach a ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade English, speech, psychology,
philosophy, or theatre class. To narrow in on one, I will explore teaching a ninth grade English
class (English 9A, if you will). Considering my philosophy of teaching English, I will discuss a
potential curriculum for this ninth grade class. The students will have come from a variety of
middle schools and may fall anywhere on the spectrum of their English language arts education.
Given this context, I would design my English educational units as nuggets of
philosophical discussion. I would do the same given any social context. Understand that it is not in
my nature to vary my perspectives and methods for any reason. Though I have committed myself
to the idea that acknowledging and responding to unique student conditions is integral to a
successful classroom, I want to emphasize that this differs significantly from responding to

preconceived unique social conditions. In other words, learning the students (continuously), not
learning about the students (initially), will primarily inform my teaching methods.
As mentioned, I want to teach English like it is philosophy. But it is not that I want all of
my students to adopt the stance that texts are gauged and ranked based on the clarity of the
window into the human condition they provide. More important is the idea that texts do something.
Aesthetic awareness deals with students individual appreciation (entertainment, beauty) of a text
(Smagorinsky, 53); in my class, students will understand the concept of aesthetics and be able to
formulate opinions and arguments about texts based on that concept.
Of course, there is more than that. In the English discipline, literacy is connected to an
abundance of concepts. In a prescriptive sense, students need to be able to comprehend the English
language as it is spoken and as it is written. Likewise, students need to be able to produce the
language through speech and writing. Furthermore, students need to be able to recognize literary
concepts, not necessarily with the proper term, but at least as an idea. A student who is literate in
English has to be able to appreciate concepts for what they mean to him or herself, not for what
they are prescribed to be. And a teacher must make sure students are predisposed to do just that.
This will naturally encompass the idea of fluctuating perspectives, and carries with it an inherent
communication between teacher and student.
In her book, Language and Reflection: An Integrated Approach to Teaching English, Anne
Gere tries to answer the question why do we teach English? She lists many reasons, none of
which fully answer the question or clear up the conundrum that permeates her entire book, that
the various goals [of English education] recur across time, though their relative prominence is
constantly shifting (Gere, 24). As mentioned above, I believe that this shifting is precisely the
reason we must teach English. She also writes that literacy implies the ability to operate
effectively in our complex society (Gere, 23). We must all be able to adapt to the ever-changing

complexities of the world. These are the kinds of ideas I hold dear, and will always try to keep in
the front of my mind as I teach. English, like no other subject in school (except, perhaps,
philosophy, but that isnt often taught in middle/high school), carries the responsibility of fostering
and maintaining a socially-aware student body, one that can adapt to the plethora of changes which
will undoubtedly occur during their lives.
Even in a highly rated school district, in a ninth grade English class, basic skills are
obviously a top priority. I have a variety of course goals, including goals that are centered on
reading, discussion, and writing. I believe all of these skills go hand in hand. Too, given the
liberal-arts focus of the school district, I believe these basic skills can be acquired through a focus
on what matters, or aesthetic appeal. A student must delve into the complexities of language in
order to determine just why a certain text stood out more than another text, both in terms of its
general aesthetic appeal, and its efficacy in communicating something about the human condition.
After all, representing, communicating, and responding to human conditions, or human
experiences (Kirkland, 72) is the core of language arts, and there is no better way for students to
engage with English texts than to focus on that.
Basically I want my students to be able to read a variety of texts, discuss those texts as they
relate to the representation and communication of the human condition, research about and write
brief analyses of those texts, form general opinions about the representation of the human
condition, and create texts of their own. My objectives are focused less on the technical aspects of
an English classroom, and more on the philosophical and big-picture aspects, for the same reason
that, when learning a language, we develop conversational skills before understanding grammar.
Ninth grade students should hone their general reading, analysis, and discussion skills before being
berated by grammar and research. With these objectives, my students can focus on understanding
the impact of a text on the world and on the self. They can evaluate what they do or do not agree

with, and they can form their own opinions both about representations of the human condition, and
about the human condition itself.
Objectives (a bridge between my philosophy and the common core state standards)
In my ninth grade English language arts classroom, I would organize my instruction from
the top down, working first with my yearlong objectives, narrowing into terms, units, and finally,
individual lessons. For the year, I envision several products, each of which touches upon one or
more of the Common Core State Standards. For reference, my objectives and the standards they
address, as utilized in my unit plan, are as follows:
1. Students will be able to demonstrate engagement with a text through discussion. Students will be able to discuss
patterns found in a text. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate that students be able to initiate and
participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 910 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own
clearly and persuasively (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1), as well as the mandate that students be able to
evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious
reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.3). In my unit plan, this
objective will be identified as objective 1. I can assess this through classroom observation.
2. Students will be able to identify themes in any given text, and articulate how those themes operate in the text to
produce meaning and provoke thought. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate that students be able to
determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text,
including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the
text (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2). In my unit plan, this objective will be identified as objective 2. I can
assess this objective through classroom observation and student written essays.
3. Students will be able to use research methods to determine background information for a text. Students will be
able to identify who the author of a text is and when the text was written, and use that information to develop
opinions about the social context. Students will be able to articulate the possible intentions of an authors, and
explain how the authors choices affect the way a text is received. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate
that students be able to conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation
(CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.7), present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely,
and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance,
and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4), and analyze the
impact of the authors choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed) (CCSS.ELALiteracy.RL.11-12.3). In my unit plan, this objective will be identified as objective 3. I can assess this with
student written essays and student explanations of history and context.
4. Students will be able to describe the advancement of character and plot development in story-based texts. This
goal should meet the CCSS mandate that students be able to analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with
multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and

advance the plot or develop the theme (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3), and analyze how an authors choices
concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice
to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic
impact (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.5). In my unit plan, this objective will be identified as objective 4. I
can assess this through student written summaries, classroom observation, and student written essays.
5. Students will be able to understand the differences between prescribed genres, and will be able to articulate the
elements that make up each genre. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate that students be able to analyze
how an authors choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and
manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise (CCSS.ELALiteracy.RL.9-10.5), and analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is
directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement) (CCSS.ELALiteracy.RL.11-12.6). In my unit plan, this objective will be identified as objective 5. I can assess this through
classroom observation, student written essays, and student produced texts.
6. Students will be able to compose a cohesive product, standalone, that effectively explains their opinion about a
text. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate that students be able to introduce a topic; organize complex
ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension (CCSS.ELALiteracy.W.11-12.2b), and write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1). In my unit plan,
this objective will be identified as objective 6. I can assess this through student written essays, especially
research based argumentative essays.
7. Students should be able to compose a text of their own in more than one genre, and articulate why they did or did
not conform to certain norms. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate that students be able to use a variety
of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a
particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution) (CCSS.ELALiteracy.W.11-12.3c), use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid
picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3d), and write
narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10). In my unit plan, this objective will be
identified as objective 7. I can assess this with student produced texts, especially fiction and nonfiction
narratives.
8. Students will understand the use of literary devices. Students will be able to articulate a variety of aesthetic based
responses to unique uses of language, including diction and structure. This goal should meet the CCSS mandate
that students be able to apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or
listening (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.3). I can assess this through classroom observation, student written
essays, and student produced texts.

My plan for the year will encompass all eight of these objectives, and, inadvertently, many
more. In my plan, I focus on engaging students to appreciate the value of these objectives through
fostering a connection to themselves. Academics like David Kirkland and Christian Chun have
argued for the use of multimodal texts to resonate with students (Chun, 144). In support of
utilizing graphic novels in the classroom, Chun wrote that these texts multimodalities along with

their engaging context reflecting the diverse identities found in many classrooms work in tandem
to help deepen the students reading engagement and develop their critical literacies (Chun, 144).
I agree, but ought to add that every text is multimodal if it is approached with an open mind. My
curriculum, consisting of several critical engagement activities, utilizes traditional approaches to
multimodal texts as well as multimodal approaches to traditional texts.
The following curriculum addresses all FOUR of my previously introduced claims: FIRST,
the importance of INTRINSIC MOTIVATION (borne primarily out of relatability) (Boy Meets World;
Chun; Kirkland), SECOND, the importance of student ADAPTABILITY to operate effectively in our
complex society (Gere, 23) and teacher adaptability to communicate under unique conditions
(Kirkland; Burke), THIRD, the importance of AESTHETIC AWARENESS (Smagorinsky) through which
students can strengthen basic skills (driven by making meaningful semantic connections), and
FOURTH,

the importance of a focus on the PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS of language arts.

Curriculum (classroom application of my objectives)

The very first critical engagement activity will be three class periods long. This lesson
(although I prefer the term critical engagement activity, for the sake of consistency and brevity I
will call them lessons) will focus on objective 1, objective 2, and objective 4. We will employ these
objectives by exploring aesthetic appeal, practicing active reading, and learning about simple
literary devices, featuring The Tell Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe.
The lesson is based on (and dependent on) student opinion. It does not require any specific
fund of knowledge to approach, as most of the text will be read out loud in class, and the topic of
the text is virtually context-less, related entirely to basic human emotion. Before even examining
the text, itself, students will discuss how texts, in general, play a role in their own lives. This will
connect the lesson to the students realities, and hopefully engage them in broadening their

opinions about aesthetic appeal. This lesson highlights the importance of a focus on the
philosophical aspects of language arts.
We will approach the text very loosely, as the lesson will take place at the very beginning
of the year. Students will explore the text based on their own interests, discussing what is
important to them. Even in the event that the text is uninteresting for students, the lesson can be
transformed into a discussion of why, exploring concepts such as context, relatability, and, once
again, aesthetic appeal. The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to approach texts in
novel ways, and to develop opinions, whether or not they can be supported. Reducing apathy is my
primary goal.
The second lesson will be two class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective 2,
objective 3, and objective 6. We will employ these objectives by learning how to gather and assess
background information about authors and contexts, exploring aesthetic appeal, and expressing
informed opinions, featuring The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost, as compared to a
contemporary popular song chosen by students (with acceptable lyrics).
This lesson is intended to cultivate student opinions about the social world in which they
live by comparing lyrical texts that may or may not address said social world. Given Kirklands
argument that nontraditional texts should never be imported into the classroom as a trick to get
students to read canonical literature (Kirkland The Rose, 70) I must emphasize that the
contemporary popular song that students choose will not be used merely as a bridge to study The
Road Not Taken, although the CCSS does deem Robert Frost as worthy of study, and I am
intending to appease that standard. Rather, the purpose of the lesson is to compare the contexts of
two similar (lyrical poetry and lyrical music) but different (yes, I am inclined to say that theyre
different, but I am at a loss for an explanation as to why) texts. In this way, students will be able to
begin to appreciate the aesthetic appeal (or lack thereof) of musical texts. The use of a student

selected song is intended to effectively work with the diverse identities I will surely find in my
classroom. By using a nontraditional text and a traditional texts to discuss nontraditional concepts,
I hope to strengthen the adaptability of both my students and myself.
The third lesson will be eight class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective 2,
objective 4, and objective 8. We will employ these objectives by exploring text annotation,
discussing themes, exploring outdated terminology, discussing the use of language, and learning
how to translate Shakespeare, featuring Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare.
This lesson is intended to inform students opinions about the use of language across
contexts. We will discuss the supposed timelessness of Shakespeares works, especially the
romantic themes of Romeo and Juliet, and the role that Shakespearean language plays in that
transcendence of time. With this in mind, aesthetic awareness is at the center of this lesson,
illuminated by making semantic connections across texts. In the event that students are unwilling
or unable to relate to these themes, either because of their own contexts or because of the
Shakespearean language, the lesson can evolve into a discussion of what students would do,
instead, to transcend time more effectively, and whether or not timelessness is even important in
language arts texts.
The fourth lesson will be twenty-one class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective
1, objective 2, objective 4, objective 5, objective 6, and objective 8. We will employ these
objectives through a discussion of themes, allusions, and genre, a close examination of character
and plot development, and a continuous analysis of aesthetic appeal, featuring Harry Potter (the
entire series), by J.K. Rowling.
This lesson is intended to broaden students opinions about language arts texts. Harry
Potter is rich with themes and allusions. Rowling uses Latin as the basis to invent words, she
alludes to the magic of ancient mythology, and her books are good (I find it hard to argue with the

fact that they are the best selling books ever). Hopefully this approach to English language arts will
work wonders to foster intrinsic motivation in students. This is the longest lesson in my curriculum
plan, and in the event that a student has trouble engaging with the text, I will work closely with
him or her to understand why, or even provide the audio book which I do have.
The fifth lesson, marking the beginning of the second term, will be seven class periods
long. This lesson will focus on objective 3, and objective 6. We will employ these objectives by
researching historical events as they are relevant to two specific texts, discussing context and
authorial intent, and encouraging social awareness, featuring To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper
Lee, and the writings of Frederick Douglass, perhaps with snippets from Uncle Toms Cabin, and
the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.
This lesson works with primarily canonical texts that center on historical social issues. A
bit more traditional than the rest of my curriculum, the study of these texts is intended to delve into
the philosophical aspects of language arts, especially the reception, impact, and critique of texts. In
the event that students are unable or unwilling to engage with these culturally driven texts that
discuss touchy subjects, I will transform the lesson into a discussion of socialization, and the true
meaning of culture.
The sixth lesson will be six class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective 1,
objective 2, objective 4, and objective 5. We will employ these objective through a discussion of
genre and themes, exploring the history of philosophy, and learning about symbols and motifs,
featuring Lost, created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Linelof, and Do You Realize,
written and performed by The Flaming Lips.
This lesson pairs a television show and a song to learn about the philosophical aspects of
language arts, and the philosophy of the human condition. We can discuss the instrumental music

of the song as well as the lyrics, and utilize just a few episodes of the television show to at least
spark the potential philosophical insights of the students.
The seventh lesson will be four class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective 1,
objective 2, objective 3, and objective 6. We will employ these objectives through independent
reading. Students will read texts of their own choosing and compose a product of their own
choosing.
This lesson is heavily based on intrinsic motivation, as the students get to read whatever
they want. I will ask students to approach their text in a way that discusses aesthetic appeal and
means something to themselves. They will present reports to the class to tell us about what
specifically interests them. This lesson is very versatile, as in the event that a student does not
respond to any of my previously selected texts, the student will have this opportunity to select a
text of their own, and I really do mean any text.
The eighth lesson will be nine class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective 5, and
objective 7. The centerpiece of this lesson is the student production of their own texts. We will
read On Writing, by Stephen King, and students will compose a fictional or nonfiction narrative.
This lesson cultivates student creativity, and gives students an opportunity to express their
newfound views of aesthetics without explicitly stating them. Expressing opinions creatively as
opposed to logistically requires adaptability, but it can also be much more effective. Grammar and
language will be important to this assignment, but I will be readily available to work with students
who have trouble writing a narrative of this magnitude.
The ninth lesson will be eight class periods long. This lesson will focus on objective 1,
objective 3, objective 7, and objective 8. We will employ these objectives by studying aesthetic
appeal through poetry, featuring Walt Whitman, Shakespearean sonnets, Emily Dickinson, and a

wide variety of contemporary poetry. This lesson, built on aesthetic appeal and intrinsic
motivations, will also incorporate student composed poetry.
Conclusion (connecting my philosophy, my objectives, and my curriculum)
My curriculum is merely an example, and it can be interpreted and applied in countless
ways. My teaching philosophy doesnt really deal with the real because it dictates that the
application of materials must vary significantly from classroom to classroom, and person to person.
I cannot give truly detailed examples of the application of my philosophy and objectives because
preparing for unique conditions is utterly counterintuitive. At the risk of sounding simple, the
whole point of being adaptable is not to be prepared.
Still, it is important to delve into the specifics as much as possible. For example, it may be
glaringly obvious that I do not utilize a great deal of group assignments in my classroom. As
briefly mentioned in my introduction, intrinsic motivations must exist before students are willing
to socialize their enthusiasm for a topic. In using group activities at the onset of a unit of study,
students may believe that impressing their peers, since it has immediate positive results, is of more
value than broadening their understanding of the material, which might be better in the long run
(Wallis, 2008). Instead of putting effort into learning the material, or even simply getting a good
grade, students focus on behaving cool amongst their group members: not being the laziest in the
group, but certainly not being the nerdy one who actually cares about the assignment. Too, I
focus on aesthetic awareness above all else in my objectives and curriculum. This is because I
believe texts are purposeless if defined by a norm. If nothing else, students in my classroom will
learn that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Works Cited
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Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 4th ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2013. Print.
Chun, Christian W. "Critical Literacies and Graphic Novels for English-Language Learners:
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Oct. 2013.
Gere, Anne. "Why Teach English?" Language and Reflection: An Integrated Approach to
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