Hi! Welcome to the new school year!

My name is Josh Edmiston, and I’m thrilled to be teaching Film Criticism and Bible as Litearture this year at Cibola.

In Bible as Literature, we'll read one of the most influential collections of texts ever assembled, not as a matter of faith, but as literature. The Bible isn't really a book; it's a library: epic and poetry, law and prophecy, biography and apocalypse, and some of the oldest storytelling on record. We'll read it closely, argue about it in seminar, write our way into its silences, and trace how it runs beneath Shakespeare and Steinbeck, Lincoln and Dr. King, and the way we all still talk. Whatever you believe or don't, everyone belongs in this room because you already speak this language. This year, we'll learn to read it. 

In Film Criticism, we’ll step behind the camera lens to explore how movies communicate meaning—visually, narratively, and culturally. From genre analysis to cinematography, parody to mise en scène, students will learn to articulate not just what a film says, but how and why it says it. Think of it as English class with popcorn.

On this page, you’ll find some general info about our classes as well as links for Google Classroom and weekly lesson plans.

As always, this space will grow throughout the year—check back regularly to stay in the loop or follow our progress as the semester unfolds.

Remind is a very simple way for both students and parents to receive near-immediate text messages from me. No phone numbers are ever exchanged, but we are able to stay in contact with a fair amount of ease.

To sign up for Remind, please send the following code as a text message to the number 81010. 

• Film Crit: @448kf7e

• Bible as Literature: @a7gk79

There is also an app for your phone, but downloading is not necessary to use the service.