High School ELA
with Mx. Foster Dowd
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Mx. Dowd's WHY
Mx. Dowd's WHY
Mx. Dowd's passion for ELA education stems from three factors:
Their obsession with literature, as both a reader and a writer.
Their strong belief in the human brain's ability to absorb, expand, and reflect.
Their love of the complexities, unique challenges, spontaneity, and inimitable perspective that each student brings to the classroom.
Mx. Dowd's HOW
Mx. Dowd's HOW
When crafting their lessons, Mx. Dowd keeps the following in mind:
Every student begins in a different place. This is why they spend the early weeks giving assignments that help determine where each student is, and what they need to progress.
Their classroom contains various types of learners. In order to accommodate everyone, they implement multiple strategies, including graphic organizers,
Students' comfort levels vary. With this in mind, they use private free-writes, one-on-one check-ins, small-group discussions, large-group discussions, and more to ensure that every student has the opportunity to develop their thoughts using the method most comfortable to them.
Even the most reluctant writers have something to say, and Mx. Dowd's job is to equip their students with the tools and confidence to express their thoughts on paper.
Mx. Dowd's Favorite Things:
Mx. Dowd's Favorite Things:
Climbing
Climbing
Mx. Dowd spent several summers as a climbing instructor at the Souhegan Valley Boys and Girls Club in Milford!
Cats
Cats
Mx. Dowd's former cat is named Grover Stewart-Big Disorder, or Gobo, and he currently lives in Connecticut with Mx. Dowd's beloved former roommate.
Writing
Writing
Mx. Dowd has been a passionate writer since they were a child. It began with drawing comics, then writing fanfiction, then poetry, and now they are working (very slowly) on a long-form fantasy novel.
Bachelors Degree:
Bard College - double major in Written Arts and Literature
Senior Projects:
A poetry collection titled Stages / Furrows / Nerve
An academic paper on Aeschylus' Oresteia titled Justice in the Oresteia
Primary areas of study: classical texts, textual analysis/analytical writing, creative writing (short stories, poetry, articles), writing-as-thinking.
Master's Degree:
Bard College - Education (grades 6-12) with a focus in English/Language Arts
Academic Research Project:
An analytical essay on Sophocles' Antigone titled Another Antigone
Primary areas of study: immigrant stories, disability theory, teaching strategies, differentiation (creating lessons that support a wide variety of learning styles).
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