A Bit About Me

My name is Henryetta Alexander-Wheaten. I am a prospective Secondary Education-Language Arts Teacher. I currently hold a B. A. Degree in English from the University of South Alabama. I am presently working towards my teaching certification. I have been writing for for nearly thirty years and my genres include nature poetry, essays, and mystery prose. I am an outreach evangelist at Christians united Church. I also work with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in the Delta Academy with girls ages 11 to 14. I enjoy working with young people and instilling in them a love of literature and lifelong learning. I have been married for 6 years to the Reverend Leonard E. Wheaten and we have two beautiful sons, Leonard Jr. who is 5, and Malcolm Maurice, who is 1.

More About Me
I am a senior at the University of South Alabama where I am majoring in both Secondary Education and English/ Language Arts. I want to become a teacher of English because I love literature and was raised with it as my mother was also an English teacher. I believe in instilling in young people a love of both literature and lifelong learning. I believe that every child can learn and that it is our responsibility as teachers to build their self-esteem and academic confidence through sound teaching.
My Teaching Philosophy

Hands-On Learning

I am a strong advocate of hands-on learning. Lecturing is okay in its place as a teaching tool, but it can become quickly worn out. In the age of computers, video games, and "get it now", its hard to keep anyone interested in what you're talking about by just having them sit and listen to you. I have worked in education a long time, and I know that it has become a well established fact that when the learner becomes part of the learning process, information is retained longer and in more detail. Therefore, when I am teaching English/ Language Arts, I will remember that I am dealing with people--people who will get more out of a learning experience of which they are a part. That is why my intention is to use the "smart board", podcasts, Google Documents, group projects, rap sessions, and any other tool that I can think of to facilitate a more hands-on and involved learning experience for my students. I want my students to look forward to learning something new and to know that the appreciation for knowledge and love of learning should extend not only beyond the classroom, but also beyond English and Language Arts.