The teachers in the English department are committed to developing critical and creative thinkers who collaborate and communicate effectively. We strive to promote inquiry-based learning by using class discussions, Socratic seminars, and research opportunities, where students gather information, use textual evidence to support their claims, and evaluate sources. The English teachers help students learn to read critically, evaluate rhetorical strategies, write analytically (including argument and synthesis essays and literary analyses), speak effectively, and view diverse, complex texts thoughtfully, so they will have the skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly complex, ever-changing world.  We seek to inspire and motivate our students – to help them become life-long learners and to understand that reading, writing, speaking, and listening are universal skills that will be used throughout their lives. We strongly believe that the study of language and the imaginative world of literature will help our students to gain empathy, demonstrate tolerance, and consider other perspectives so they can better understand themselves and the world in which they live.