Introduction

UPDATE: this blog was originally created for a graduate course : young adult and children's literature. I have decided to keep this blog and continue to update it with things that I read to my son, with my students and for pure enjoyment (when that gets to happen). A few of the original posts have been deleted or made private scince they no longer fit the purpose for the revised blog.

 I currently teaching English II (a collaboration class and a pre-AP class) and English IV (a collaboration, transitional class and an AP class) at North Laurel High School in London, KY.  This is my fifth year at NLHS, so I am very excited about receiving tenure.  I am a 2008 graduate of University of the Cumberlands in secondary English education.  I loved my time as an undergraduate student at UC, so I decided to attend UC again for my graduate work.  I'm receiving my Masters in reading and writing specialist.  I love teaching high school, but one day, I would like to work on specialized area focusing on reading problems.  I once taught a remedial reading course to sophomores.  My experience with that class inspired me to pursue this degree.

When I'm not teaching, I also sponsor the Beta Club at NLHS.  They are a great group of kids who are dedicated to high academics and community service.

I have been married for six years to Janson Conley, also a UC graduate.  Together we have a beautiful baby boy named Brody who was just born in May.  He already enjoys reading as much as I do, but he does most of the listening, and I do most of the reading.  We also have two wonderful dogs:  Pepper and Lexi.

Whenever I have free time, which isn't much, I enjoy traveling, reading and watching movies.  I feel that movies are just another form of literature.