The Pre-AP English curriculum stands out for its horizontal integration across disciplines through the areas of focus, a dynamic approach that prepares students for the challenges of higher education and future careers. This framework places a strong emphasis on nurturing critical thinking skills, fostering an environment where students engage deeply with content.

The streamlined rubric used in Pre-AP assessments offers a clear and effective tool for evaluating students' comprehension of reading materials, their analytical thinking abilities, and their proficiency in articulating these insights in writing. This focused assessment approach promotes a deeper understanding of the material, allowing students to showcase their learning in a meaningful way.

Perhaps most notably, Pre-AP places a strong emphasis on authentic collaboration and dialogue among students. This encourages every student to actively participate in the learning community, ensuring that each voice is valued and heard. The framework's shared instructional principles create an environment where students are not passive recipients of knowledge, but rather engaged contributors to the collective learning experience.

Teaching Creative Writing was more than just an elective; it was an opportunity to become a truly creative educator. Drawing on a diverse range of models and frameworks, I wove together instructional approaches to inspire and engage my students.

In this course, I embraced the power of inquiry-based learning, empowering students to explore their creative potential through self-guided exploration and discovery. Project-based learning became a cornerstone, providing a platform for students to dive deep into their writing projects, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in their work.

Digital tools, guided by the SAMR model, became invaluable companions in this creative journey. They not only enhanced the learning experience but also opened new avenues for expression and experimentation. Through the seamless integration of technology, students discovered novel ways to bring their narratives to life.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this experience was the quest to connect with an authentic audience. I curated a series of units that transcended the classroom, including a captivating children's book project, a dynamic podcast series that paid homage to the oral tradition, and a heartwarming student anthology celebrating holiday traditions from around the world. These projects not only showcased the depth of student creativity but also instilled in them a sense of purpose and the joy of sharing their narratives with a wider community.

My experience teaching primary school students significantly shaped my approach as an educator for secondary students. The most crucial lesson I carried forward is the undeniable importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) across all levels of education.

In those formative years, I witnessed firsthand how foundational SEL skills are for students. This includes crucial aspects like conflict resolution, self-redirection, and effective communication, which are particularly vital during the tumultuous teenage years. The parallels between primary and secondary students in this regard are striking. The same SEL strategies that prove invaluable in primary education, such as employing "I" statements, fostering a growth mindset, and encouraging respectful discourse when disagreeing, continue to be profoundly beneficial for older students.

Through this experience, I've come to understand that the bedrock of a student's success, both academically and personally, lies in their emotional well-being and social competence.

Embracing linguistic diversity and recognizing the value of various forms of English, including non-standard versions, are foundational principles in my approach to teaching. I firmly believe in asset-based instruction, focusing on the strengths and abilities that each student brings to the table. This philosophy extends to crafting content and assessments that resonate authentically with students, creating a meaningful and real-world connection to their learning experiences. These insights have been profoundly influenced by my time as a Peace Corps literacy volunteer, where I witnessed the transformative power of culturally relevant, inclusive education.

The Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs) in California represent a vital conceptual framework. They offer essential guidance for cultivating environmental literacy and serve as a rich resource for teaching academic standards in an environmental context.

Comprising five core principles and fifteen supporting concepts, the EP&Cs serve as foundational "big ideas" that shape standards-based instruction and spark student inquiry. These overarching concepts promote interdisciplinary exploration and practical application. Teachers, in turn, play a central role in fostering environmental literacy by empowering students to grasp and implement the EP&Cs across various academic domains and in real-world contexts.

Venturing into the realm of ethnic studies education has been a transformative journey, one that has profoundly enriched my perspective on teaching and learning. An ethnic studies classroom isn't just for instruction; it's a vibrant space where every student, regardless of their racial, ethnic, or linguistic background, finds themselves reflected and valued within the curriculum.

It calls for a shift in perspective, prompting us to look through different, marginalized lenses — be it through the prism of human rights, immigration, language dominance, or phenotype — as we engage with individuals and communities.

An epistemological view of knowledge emerges as a critical component, underscoring the humility in recognizing that our understanding of truth is inherently incomplete. This necessitates an openness to diverse dialogues, perspectives, and experiences, especially in the dynamic context of an international school setting.

Through this journey in crafting ethnic studies lessons, I've gained a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted dimensions of human experiences and the urgent need to celebrate and learn from them.