elizabeth mattson - english teacher

Ms. Mattson grew up in the deep South in the suburbs of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Immediately after high school, she went into the U.S. Army, which took her to Europe and Asia. She was a military police officer for four years, where she saw and experienced many life-changing events. After separating from the army in 2016, she is still living the army life, as her husband is currently active duty army. Her BA is in English from the University of Maryland, and her MA is from Southern New Hampshire University in English and Creative Writing. In graduate school, Ms. Mattson was invited to join the International English Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta. She considers herself to be a life-long learner.

Her hobbies include reading historical fiction, yoga, running, and watching Turner Classic Movies. At home, she has approximately thirty-five houseplants, two senior cats, a golden doodle, and a ball python. She believes everyone has a unique purpose and a variety of talents that should be embraced, and it is her hope that she can help her students find self-awareness and develop an appreciation for all things English.

“No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Courses Taught

ENGLISH

In different sections of English at GWCS, we will become familiar with authors such as Langston Hughes, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, William Shakespeare, and other notable writers. We will study and discuss the works that these authors produced. The literature types discussed include short stories, poetry, non-fiction, and novels. Not only will students become familiar with various types of literary works, but students will be perfecting the craft of writing through creating personal narratives. Students will be presented with the tools that will assist them in drafting a strong research report, which includes becoming familiar with the MLA format. A review of the parts of speech, grammar, and punctuation will be touched on throughout the course.

ENGLISH 12

The focus of the English 12 class is developing students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Through readings, discussions, writing assignments and creative activities, students further develop their writing and speaking skills, including grammar, comprehension, analysis, and research as students learn to communicate ideas. We assist the writers by encouraging and supporting the writers as the pieces evolve. Each writing assignment is broken down step-by-step, and personal feedback will be provided to each student throughout the writing process.

The students will read a variety of materials, including short stories, poetry, novels, plays, and speeches. These materials will allow the student to gain an understanding of each genre, which will allow the student to craft their own literary work (short story, poem, and persuasive essay).

Works by the following authors will be discussed:

Ray Bradbury, Robert Frost, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William Blake, Washington Irving, Courtney Peppernell, Rupi Kaur, Julie Otsuka, Elizabeth I, Napoleon Bonaparte, Theodore Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill

Contact:

Email:  mattsone@gwcommunityschool.com
Phone: 703.978.7208