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About Mrs. Nguyen 8th Grade ELA, 2021-2022

Hi! My name is Mrs. Nguyen, and I'm your 8th grade ELA teacher at Fort Settlement Middle School.

Education & Awards

  • Degrees: B.A. in English, North Greenville University; M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Houston Baptist University
  • Certifications: Secondary (7-12) ELA; ESL and GT Supplemental
  • Awards: 2015-2016 District Rookie Teacher of the Year; 2019 FSMS Campus Teacher of the Year

Campus Involvement

  • Student Council Sponsor (with Mrs. Cook)
  • Creative Writing Club Sponsor
  • Accountable Talk Liason
  • AVID site team

A little about 8th grade ELA

By 8th grade, I find that most students don't care for reading and writing anymore. Not only does our 8th grade ELA team strive to help you like this course again, but we want you to see the purpose in what we learn. You'll never escape the need for both reading and writing (*evil laugh*), so what skills can you gain that will help you cope with that inevitability? We're going to learn them this year.

What I love most about ELA is that discussing literature and writing our own texts allows us to explore big ideas. We can take themes and concepts from texts, like The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, or even children's books like "The Bad Seed" by Jory John, and discuss their application to our lives and the world around us.

About Mrs. Nguyen

Family

I'm originally from the Carolinas. I was born in Asheville, North Carolina, then moved to Pumpkintown (yes, it's real), South Carolina, where I lived most of my childhood. I met my husband about twelve years ago on a mission trip in Memphis Tennessee then moved to Texas with him two years later. I've lived in Houston ever since.

We have a one-year-old son, Joey, and a miniature dachshund, Willow.

Hobbies

Reading: I am an avid reader, and I love all types of books. Even though I read a wide variety of books, my favorite genres are historical fiction and fantasy. So far this year, I have read almost 90 books, and my goal is to get to 200 before the year is through. I LOVE discussing books with my students; I can't wait to hear what you're reading.

Here are two of my favorite YA books.

Yoga: I do yoga every day at home (with Willow). Yoga not only helps with physical stress, but it helps me be more mindful of myself and those around me. We will do a few mindfulness and breathing activities throughout the year, especially during exams and busy times, to help us ALL manage our stress.

Lego: My husband has always loved Lego, especially Batman sets, but I have recently gotten into them as well. It gives me time to sit down without distractions and build something that I can look at and think, "Wow! I did that." My favorite Lego right now are the botanical collections.

Travel: Before Joey was born, my husband and I traveled all the time. We hope to travel again soon, but right now, it's easier to stay around Houston. Two of my favorite places are Boston and Grindelwald, Switzerland.

Outdoors: I love the outdoors, like hiking and kayaking. It's a little too hot in Houston to be outside for long, but when we travel, we often explore the outdoors.

Basketball and Volleyball: I love playing volleyball and basketball (even if my skills aren't what they used to be). The Houston Rockets are my favorite basketball team even if we're in a bit of a rough patch.

I'm excited to get to know *YOU* in the coming weeks!

Credits:

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