William Woodrum

I've been a high school English and literature teacher for the past 12 years in Longview, WA, at our historic high school, R.A. Long. I have been our English Department chair for 6 of those 12 years and have had the opportunity to work with a diverse and very collaborative and cooperative department. I've had the privilege to teach regular English courses such as freshmen (including honors), sophomore, and senior English classes. Also, I've taught World Literature, American Literature, Advanced Placement Literature, and even a philosophy course I developed 8 years ago.

I believe in making content as relevant as possible for students, even stuff that might seem "way out there" like millenia-old ancient literature. If it's worth reading and teaching, it must be brought effectively into the lives of students. I believe that the teacher needs to be a strong, authoritative presence in the classroom, but this does not mean students should be silent audience members. Rather, students should be actively involved and engaged in all classroom activities. If this is organized and predictable, students will be strong members of a class. It's my job to facilitate this environment.

I've been selected for some awards from our own administration and staff.

I earned my B.A. from Central Washington University. I completed graduate work at Seattle Pacific University and the University of Saint Mary, earning my M.A. from USM.

I'm married and my wife and I enjoy fitness, traveling, sports, family time, home improvement, and learning. We are looking forward to beginning a family in the next year.