• Welcome to English with Mr. Williams! In my classes- whether they are college-level dual credit or co-taught gen ed- I try to challenge students to consider "big" questions and to find/hone their voices while answering them. Students will first consider their own context- their individual backgrounds and experiences- when addressing the questions. The texts introduced- fiction/non-fiction and mutiple genres- will then be utilized to help students become users of language with voices of their own. In short, how can the literature we read, comprehend and interpret help us most fluently express our thoughts, ideas and values regarding important issues? There will be trials and tribulations along the way since much of what we do will be different than anything you have likely experienced in an English Language Arts class. Take heart, have faith and don't give up on the process! I am here to help you succeed, not to be an obstacle in your path towards independence. I strongly encourage all students to actively communicate with me so I know what I need to do to help. There will be daily assignments which will allow for this one-on-one communication. My hope for all of you is that by the end of the year you see literature as a way to add to our everyday experience and understanding of the world in which we live.

     
  • Meet the Teacher
    Welcome to my Michigan City High School teacher site. Thanks for stopping by! After many different experiences and careers following my 1988 graduation from Allegheny College (Meadville, PA), I made the decision to fulfill the longtime-goal of teaching high school English. I transitioned from Corporate America to the world of public high school education through my obtaining a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree from National-Louis University (Chicago, IL) in 2004. Thus far, my career has included stops in Memphis, TN (White Station High School), Denver, CO (George Washington High School, Brady High School), and most recently since 2015, Michigan City.  Along the way, I have taught a wide range of courses to a wide range of students. The courses include: American Literature, Contemporary Literature, Mythology, World Literature, Film Analysis, Speech and AP Language and Composition. I am passionate about English, specifically the intricacies and subtleties of the English language and the way in which people use the language to communicate, for better and for worse. While I would hardly consider myself a voracious reader, I have a deep appreciation for- and understanding of- the role context plays in literature and how that helps to develop the deeper meaning of literature and, with that, the world in which we live. Because of this, students sometimes remind me, "This isn't a History class." Because of my educational background, I find it difficult (and in my opinion, incorrect) to separate literature and history. In my "perfect world" scenario, there would be a single Humanities class rather than an English class and a History class. 
     
    My personal life revolves around my wife, Erin, our two children, Zach (b. 2009) and Lydia (b. 2014), our dogs, Otis (b. 2007) and Gigi (b. 2014), and, whenever the opportunity presents itself, downhill skiing, cycling and most any other kind of adventure. I am grateful for the opportunities to be actively involved in my neighborhood homeowners association, a local conservation effort, as well as my church's vestry. I feel like my Dad was probably most responsible for instilling in me the philosophy of "work hard, play hard" and as such, there is rarely a dull moment in my most-fortunate life.