CLASS PROFILES Summer 2020: ENGL 301

Summer 2020: Class Profiles ENGL301 Writing & The Teaching of Writing

Need to be in touch with me?
LEE TORDA
310 Tillinghast Hall
Bridgewater State University
508.531.2436
[email protected]
www.leetorda.com

Summer 2020
All Summer Session I classes have been moved online due to the Covid-19 emergency.

Online Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 PM and by appointment (email me at [email protected] to set up an a time).

My name is Hannah Dziadyk and I am going to be a junior next fall at BSU. I am a secondary education major with English. I am a part of the women's basketball team on campus and I set the school record for most threes pointers made in a season last year. I am from a little town called Wakefield Massachusetts which is 20 minutes North of Boston. I am also a fraternal twin and her name is Olivia and she also goes to Bridgewater and is a part of the basketball team. Some interests of mine are going for runs, going to the beach and I love to go shopping which at this time is a little difficult. But online shopping is always an option that I have and yes the UPS trucks have been coming to my house a lot. I am also a big Boston sports fan but my favorite team is the Celtics and my favorite player is Jayson Tatum who I have met twice! I have two cats named Flo and Gracie and a puppy named Charile. Fun fact is that Charlie has the same birthday as Olivia and I. My favorite Netflix shows that I have watched are Outer Banks, Gossip Girl and also Riverdale. Also the summer of 2019 I was a student orientation leader at BSU and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

My name is Ali Nolan and I absolutely adore anything horror related. From 1980’s slasher films to Lovecraftian stories! I enjoy writing in my free time or gaming with friends. Other than that I am an avid Dungeons and Dragons player. I often stream on Twitch or make speedpaints of my artwork for YouTube. One of my favorite things to do consists of writing a short story and then getting to draw the characters! I’ve been blessed to have met the love of my life years ago, and we’ve since gotten engaged! I’m originally from Warwick, Rhode Island and moved to Cape Cod just before High School. Most of my family already lived there, so it wasn’t too bad! I’ve since moved just before the Sagamore Bridge, down by the beach. I spent the last four years of my life devoted to my work as a daycare teacher. Unfortunately, just before the COVID pandemic, the company I gave my heart and soul too shut down. I was a group leader working with children with special needs, and from low income households. My work there sparked my desire to teach, though, I’d like to teach at the High School level. I got to practice teaching a little bit, and make units that followed the curriculum under Common Core, which has since changed. I don’t regret those years, only that it didn’t last as long as I’d of hoped! Regardless, thank you for learning a little bit about me! And if you’ve got anything interesting in the realm of horror, feel free to send it my way!

My name is Megan LeBlanc and I have a wide array of hobbies that I pick up and put down randomly and frequently. I have painted about a dozen finished paintings (mediocre and my favorite gift for loved ones - I have been trying to draw my boyfriend for the past few weeks), four or five started but not yet finished knitting projects, several books that I have started to read but cannot find the time to complete, a few story ideas that won’t get off the ground, and what feels like a million at-home projects. I am a member of Alpha Sigma Tau on campus and while I am at school I work part time at Applebee’s in Raynham. I am incredibly stubborn and often get into arguments because of it, but I like light fighting and don’t usually get out of hand. I like makeup, Halloween-themed things, Green Day, and Harry Potter. I also have a leopard gecko named Apollo – who I own only because I am allergic to our other pets at home and my mother felt bad for me. My family has three cats, one dog, four chickens, one guinea pig, one hamster, two ducks, three birds, and two Betta fish. I have two younger sisters who I am close with and I live with my parents when I’m not at school. We are also close with my mom’s side of the family and see them as frequently as we can. I live in a city named Leominster in Massachusetts and I really want to move around the country before I choose where I want to be for the rest of my life (can you tell I’m a Sagittarius?).

Hey! I’m Fiona. I grew up in Braintree, Massachusetts (which is a bizarre little town filled with obnoxious people, a repulsively large mall and too many Dunkin Donuts) and bounced from Curry College, after staying two years, to BSU in the fall of 2019. Since my senior year in high school my end game has been to become a high school English teacher – before that I was hooked on the concept of becoming a veterinarian, until I learned about the amount of schooling and the amount of death that comes hand in hand with it. I’ve had a few funky jobs in my day, starting at Ben & Jerry’s before sliding over to Starbucks, then to Dunkin Donuts and, finally and ironically, to working at a veterinary clinic. They were all nightmares in their own right but I learned a lot from all of them and I think that’s pretty cool. As for interesting stuff about me: I’m a big fan of Stephen King, America’s Sweetheart: Conan O’Brien, playing guitar, being with my dogs (Barney and Teddy) and cats (Raj and Taylor Swift), vanilla egg nog, nature, the live action Jungle Book, hammocks, Killing Eve, and weird folksy music (as well as the Mamma Mia soundtrack- I’d argue that the second movie is almost as good as the first). Other than all of that, I kind of just chill. All of the time. I relearned how to ride a bike recently and I’m trying to teach myself how to play the piano, as well as how to use a grill – they’re all works in progress- but other than that, I don’t have many more interesting tales to tell.

Hi Everyone, my name is Brianna Walsh. I am a transfer student from Massasoit Community College. I originally transferred as an Elementary Ed major and realized about two semesters later that I wanted to teach English to middle schoolers! I am currently in my Senior year and a commuter at BSU. I have a 2-year-old bearded dragon named Apollo who is very energetic and lazy. I live in Braintree and work at Bed Bath and Beyond as a key holder. I have two younger siblings who I am around constantly. I have my little brother Jack who is 15 and a freshman in high school. I also have a younger sister Caelyn who is 13 and in middle school. I have multiple hobbies that include drawing Disney character, singing, rapping, and writing songs. The songs I write usually depend on my mood and sometimes are used to memorize vocabulary or equations for school. I spend a lot of time with working, going to school, or helping my siblings with their schoolwork. I go to the libraries a lot and look to see if there is a book that stands out to me as something worth reading. I read a variety of different books like fiction, gothic literature, mythology, and fantasy books.

My name is Paige Couture. In Fall 2020, I never thought I would have accomplished as much as I have—never mind, trying to pursue a double bachelor’s degree. I have pushed through many hard times to get to where I am today. I never thought that I would have the skill to educate children. Today, I am director certified and not far from my goal. My goal is to be licensed to educate Kindergarten; however, I am undecided of what age group I would like to teach for the rest of my life. When I am not working on anything college related, there are many things I like to do in my spare time. I am an avid reader; a 400-paged book would be interesting enough for me to read. I am really into the murder mystery genre. I am currently working on my own that I hope to complete. I also am a huge horse freak; I would love to live on a small ranch someday with a bunch of farm animals. When I was younger, up to my teenage years, I used to take horseback riding lessons. I was into show jumping and would train for shows. I would really like to get back into that field because it feels like a part of me is missing when I am not around horses or writing anything. The last time when I was around horses was when I was visiting family in Ireland, a few years ago. I am a big animal lover and sacrifice my own eating habits by not eating them. I have not eaten meat in over twelve years. I do not regret anything because it made me who I am today, and I believe that everything happens for a reason.

Hi, my name is Lindsay Vo and I am a junior here at BSU! When I started my college career, I was majoring in Elementary Education and Psychology. However, at the end of my freshman year, I changed to Secondary Education and English. This was the best decision I've ever made because now I'm pursuing something I love. Besides being an English major, I am also a tutor for Second Language Services in the Academic Achievement Center and I am a part of CPDC on campus. When I'm not in Bridgewater, I live with my parents and my grandmother in a very small town called Dudley, Massachusetts. I also have an older brother named Sean who recently became an epidemiologist in the midst of this crisis, and I'm very proud of him. I have two dogs: a yellow lab and a pug. The lab's name is Bear and the pug's name is Popeye, and I love them so much. When I'm not playing with my dogs, I am either taking a nap, watching Netflix, painting, writing, or reading. My favorite author is Stephen King because his novels are so interesting. He is such a great writer that I could read his grocery lists. When I was younger, I used to read Twilight, and I'm ashamed to say that New Moon made me cry. I was also a big fan of Judie B. Jones, Goosebumps, and Because of Windixie: I would watch the movie at least 5 times a day. It was a masterpiece. I also love shopping and going out to eat. If life was normal right now, I would probably be in the mall or at The Cheesecake Factory. For right now though, I have Amazon. My grandma always says, "Amazon Prime comes here every day!" Sooo that's what I've been doing, and I've realized that I need to stay 6 feet away from my debit card. I look forward to meeting all of you, and I'm really excited for this course to start!

My name is Lydia Theriault. I will be a Junior in the fall. What’s interesting about me? Well, I live in Stoughton Ma (you know, where IKEA is) with my husband and three kids. Yea, three kids – two daughters and one son ages fourteen, twelve, and eight, respectively. They are great kids, although homeschooling them these months has been rather trying, but we manage. I have never taken a summer class before, so me being me, I decided why not take four! Time to see what I’m really made of right? I'll be fine, after all, I'm a 90's kid and survived Y2k! Yes, it’s time. I also have a husband as mentioned, his name is Mike, and actually, tomorrow is our 17th anniversary! There won’t be any dinner outings or weekend trips sadly, thanks to Covid19. Steaks on the grill it is! Wow, time really does fly. So, on top of my mom and wife duties, and aside from English and literature, I dip into lots of things. For instance, I love to paint, draw, crochet, sing (because it’s fun, not because I was blessed). I also love calligraphy, am into fitness and healthy eating, and wished I was a better runner, (I’ve done a 5K before and will probably never do another race again) they are really hard. Also, I've got crappy knees. This summer, the kids and I really wanted to try and grow some vegetables in the garden. We’ve got kale, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and STRAWBERRIES! Right now, there are about 8 teeny hazelnut-sized berries. I don’t even care how they will taste; I am just so stoked to have produced fruit (I am usually a terrible gardener)!
Anyway, like all of you, I love English and I want to teach. Here’s to a fantastic and rewarding five weeks together!

Hello! My name is Madison Butkus and I am from Attleboro, MA. I am going into my senior year here at BSU where I double major in English and Secondary Education which I am absolutely loving! A little bit about me, I graduated from Bishop Feehan High School back in 2017 where I was captain of the girl’s tennis team. I have played tennis all my life and even played here for BSU up until this past year when life unexpectedly changed for me. I lost my Mom at the beginning of the Fall 2019 semester and soon after my dog. To say the least 2019 had been a rough year but at the beginning of this year I ended up adopting my new best friend, Bailey! She is a very energetic puppy who loves to eat absolutely anything and everything she can get her mouth on. At this point, I feel myself asking the classic question, I don’t know if I saved her or if she saved me. Furthermore, I love spending time with family and friends, staying active, and going to Disney World! I was supposed to go to Disney at the beginning of this month but with the pandemic that was a no-go. I have full intentions of going next May! Additionally, I take great pride in my school work and really try to excel in my majors. I find myself to be a hardworking girl who pushes through challenges but I also love to joke around and have a fun time!

My name is Alexa Parham. I am a junior at BSU going into my senior year. I am a double major in Elementary Education and Special Education and I am also an English major. I am also planning to jump into my 5th year at BSU for my masters. I am taking two summer session I courses, including this one, and I am excited to say that they are my last two classes before I enter the year of the “block” / student teaching. I have been looking forward to student teaching since my first education class here at BSU. I want to teach either first, second or third grade – they are my favorite. I find that age group challenging, but I also feel as though they are a fun age to work with – they actually still LOVE learning. I also look forward to helping the students who need that teacher to actually care if they do well or not. I remember having teachers who just were in the classroom for the paycheck. I think children need someone to be almost as excited as they are. I think the younger age groups give the opportunity to become artistically creative with learning and the young age allows for fun activities to help them WANT to learn and come to school. I currently work at a preschool/ learning center. (well not currently, considering we are in a pandemic). I am now a certified infant, toddler and preschool teacher. I have been working at the same preschool since high school and received so many learning tips and have A LOT of experience to go with it. I commute to BSU and live at home with my mom and my sister and my dog. My parents are divorced, so we see our dad whenever we can. I love artistic activities such as drawing (I am always asked to do the bulletin boards at my work – which I actually LOVE doing). I used to be a competitive figure skater, but I am not anymore, so I now do workouts at home – it keeps me busy and sane. I also started a photography account and am a photographer for the website “Pendants by Petra” and also take the photos for her Instagram page as well.

My name is Kaylee and I am a Secondary Education and English major. I am in my Junior year at BSU and commute to campus. I am from Lakeville, Massachusetts but I have also lived in Georgia and Vermont. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I love going to the beach in the summer and hope that I will be able to do that this year. Typically, my family goes on a family vacation in the summer with many extended family members. However, this year that will not be possible. Nonetheless, I will accept the rocky and cold beaches of the Cape as substitution for the usual beaches we enjoy while traveling. I have two brothers, one younger and one older. My older brother lives in Vermont and I enjoy visiting him as often as I can. While there I typically take advantage of the great skiing and hiking the area has to offer. I have a cat named Ellie who very well may appear during a Zoom meeting or two. She typically only wants attention when it is most inconvenient for everyone in the house to give it to her. I am looking forward to the short time we have together this semester!

Hi, my name is Matt Erti. I'm from West Roxbury, MA but I've recently started living in Canton with my cousins since it's easier to commute to Bridgewater from there. I'm a psychology major with a minor in writing studies. In September I'll be a senior and will be applying to William James College to study clinical psychology where I'll hopefully get my PsyD and a license to practice. Last semester I was all set up to be initiated into the Sigma Chi fraternity, however my initiation has been postponed until September due to the current epidemic. I enjoy fishing and playing Texas hold em with friends in my free time. I also have a boating license and love driving my uncle's boat in Situate. Nothing beats the cool breeze of ocean air! Even though I haven't had many opportunities to go out and do the things I typically enjoy doing because of quarantine, my 8 month old golden doodle named Vinny has kept me company. Writing has always interested me and I've found it to be applicable in many different professions. I'm really looking forward to learning more about how writing is taught, which is a whole new perspective of writing that I had never considered before.

My name is Kylie and I am currently 21 living in Middleboro, MA. I’m senior studying English with a concentration in creative writing. Something interesting about me is that I was just offered a position with AmeriCorps working with a non-profit organization called College Possible as a High School Coach. Essentially I will be working in low income schools in Chicago with juniors and seniors in High School and helping them with their college application process. This includes applying for schools, studying for their SATs, touring schools, and filling out the FAFSA. It is my dream to get my master’s degree in Student Affairs so I am super excited to be working with this amazing organization. I cannot wait to get to know everyone!

It's me, Lee Torda, your teacher. Fall 2020 marks my 20th year teaching at BSU. Besides reeling from how old that makes me, I’ve had a wonderful career here. I think BSU students are some of the best and brightest and hardest working humans I’ve ever met, and I’d walk on hot coals for each and every one of you, even the slack ass punks I get in first year writing (often my favorites). Some of the most rewarding work I’ve done is work with folks who are going to be teachers, which is why I love teaching ENGL 301. I have boring English-nerd hobbies: reading; knitting, but mostly only scarves; Joyce Rain Anderson is trying to teach me how to bead, leading me to realize how much my eyesight sucks; I don’t so much “run” as I do “plod,” but I get where I’m going. Beyond that, I love/hate my three indoor (pictured) and one outdoor (not pictured) cats. I’m originally from Cleveland--yeah, shut up, I love my hometown and the Browns so comment at your own risk. My husband, also an English teacher, and I live in Jamaica Plain where I walk around Jamaica Pond and eat out too much (except not now). My only other hobby is convincing people that the orange line is the best line on the T, despite the unmistakable scent of urine that plagues every car.