Ms. Panos' Page

Welcome to 8th Grade English Language Arts. I have been an educator with the Chicago Public Schools for twenty years, serving as both a teacher's aid and ELA teacher. I also currently serve as an adjunct professor at North Park University in Chicago. My philosophy in ELA classroom is that we should use literature to gain perspective on different experiences, cultures, and attitudes. Young adult literature is a way for students to experience real life situations and help them calibrate their moral compass before venturing on to high school. Writing is a way for students to express their opinions and communicate who they are and what they believe. Teens and young adults are at a point in their life where the language arts classroom can be a formative experience that helps them discover more about their true identity. I believe in hard work and developing internal motivation to get through the roadblocks in life. Success in my classroom is based off of a willingness to keep improving and the understanding that there is always more to learn. Homework is the result of completing assignments from class as well as larger summative projects.  Grades are earned in the classroom with the expectation that revisions and corrections are made through the writing process and are part of the effort that a student shows in class. The physical grade is not the goal, rather the knowledge gained is what is important.