Hello, my name is Anna and I am very excited to learn with all of you through literature! I have taught English Language Arts for more than 20 years at both the middle and high school levels. I am excited about starting my journey with Soar Kidz and I can’t wait to talk about books (my favorite thing to talk about) with scholars that love reading, debating, and sharing their thoughts in connection to a text. My teaching style involves high engagement strategies and I look forward to getting students moving with hand gestures, typing in the chat, and having long-distance discussions about the books that we have read. The best thing about these classes is that we all love books, so we already agree on something before we even meet! This love of literature fosters a creative and welcoming culture even if we can’t be in the same room. Some of my best book recommendations are: El Deafo by Cece Bell, a graphic autobiographical novel about a girl that loses her hearing; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, a story about a china rabbit that gets separated from his owner and learns what it means to love; and After the Fire by Will Hill, an intense young adult novel inspired by the Waco siege in 1993.