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My teaching career began in China in 1987. Three years later, at the American Academy in Istanbul, Turkey, I adopted my life’s motto: “I want to dance with the whole world!” Include everyone, exclude no one. I have been devoted to my partner in life for over 30 years, the last 20 of those in our little home on the river bend near downtown Tulsa.
My passion for teaching is deeply connected to helping students become better global citizens, equipped with the essential critical thinking tools needed to imagine and pursue their future with greater confidence.
Email: jdonaldson@tsas.org
Room: 112 B
Educational Background:
- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Oral Roberts University
My favorite quote is, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” by Maya Angelou. These are my words to live by, because I know how true they are, and I try to be mindful of them from day to day. I love my family, and I particularly adore my mother. My nephew Quincey has stolen my heart, and I love animals (especially dogs and elephants, the only exception would be snakes). I also love to watch movies; new movies or old movies, I just love movies.
I teach because it is the BEST job in the world. There is a never a boring or dull day or moment, and I have a passion for middle school students who I get to engage with on a daily basis! We are living and learning! TSAS + middle schoolers = a magical carpet ride, and I am highly committed to the ride.
Email: edorsey@tsas.org
Room: 314
Educational Background:
- Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Northeastern State University
- Master of Science in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership – Reading and Literacy Emphasis from Oklahoma State University
Hailing originally from the DC Metropolitan area, I moved to Oklahoma in 2011 to attend graduate school and never left. So I guess this is home now? I’m an enthusiast of vinyl (listening to and collecting), hockey (watching and playing), books (“Obnoxiously well read,” per a source), movies, baking, chess, and playing the guitar and harmonica, just to name a few. (Some people say I collect hobbies.) I am also a big fan of dogs, especially my two dummies: Scout and Mabel.
I am a teacher of English because I believe in the mission of the humanities. The humanities, as I understand them, seeks to explore human experience and to appreciate and interrogate human accomplishments and failures so we may better understand our contemporary moment. More importantly, the humanities are forward-looking: it looks to where we are going, not just where we have been and where we are. In my English classes, I hope to foster dialogue and the necessary communicative skills through an engagement with literature and writing of all kinds so that my students can ultimately learn from the past and experiences of others to create a better and more equitable future for themselves and others.
Email: dhawkins@tsas.org
Room: 113 A
Educational Background:
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- PhD in English, Oklahoma State University
- M.A. in English, Oklahoma State University May 2014
- B.S. in Mass Communication, Shepherd University
I was born in Texas and have been living in Tulsa for a little over ten years. This will be my tenth year in Education and my sixth year at TSAS. I love the power of stories in all forms, and I love reading, watching, or playing them, thinking about them, talking about them, teaching them, and creating them myself. I also enjoy running, drawing, pinball, music, and spending time with my wife and our friends.
I teach because I believe that education is the silver bullet in solving problems in our world, and I want to be a part of the process.
Email: pmyers@tsas.org
Room: 301 B
Education Background:
- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from John Brown University
I used to live in Minnesota, and now I’m always hot. After leaving my home state, I moved to Missouri thinking I wanted to be a journalist. It only took me a few years of covering local school board meetings to realize that I couldn’t sit on the sidelines when it came to the challenges facing education. I moved to Tulsa and have fallen in love with the community of families, students, and educators I get to work alongside every day. High schoolers are my favorite people, and I absolutely love watching them grow into unique individuals and free thinkers ready to tackle the world.
Outside of school, I have been spending an exorbitant amount of time restoring a 1910 craftsman home with my fiancée. It gives me an opportunity to learn new things, shop for vintage items, and spend endless hours on Pinterest looking for inspiration. I’m often cooking soup, eating soup, and sharing soup with the people I love. I love to travel, drink coffee, and find excuses to cancel plans and stay home with my dogs. Talk to me about books and quilts!
Email: eroiger@tsas.org
Room: 124
Educational Background:
- Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Missouri
I love learning and hope I never stop. I enjoy learning alongside my students. And I especially enjoy seeing students grow both as writers and in their appreciation of the power of writing for their lives.
I’m raising three kids with my best friend in Broken Arrow and I love living here. I’ve recently started doing yoga. One of my favorite hobbies is competitive kettlebell lifting. Kurt Vonnegut changed my life.
Email: srustin@tsas.org
Room: 115
Educational Background:
- Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, Evangel University
- Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis, Wheaton College