Todd Cecutti

Dr. Sergey Rybas

ENGL 230

Statement of Research/Academic/Professional Objectives

I was born into a world of books. My mother, a reading specialist, could never have enough

books around. Before I could read, I loved the feel of books -- their texture, their weight, the

bent corners of their covers. I learned to read early, and from then on I devoured literature. The

first book I could read all the way through without help was Dr. Seuss Hop on Pop. As soon as I

could read it on my own, I memorized it and recited it to anyone who would listen. I still have

that book -- the exact copy with which I learned to read.

My mother inspired me to pursue a career in education. She never told me I had to or

even that I should, but considering how much I admired her work it just made sense. As I seek

licensure in the area of Adolescence and Young Adult English Language Arts education, I have

found that any and all reading or writing I do can be applied to the classroom. Whether I am

studying Middle East relations in World Studies or cell structure in Biology, I think about how all

expressions and exercises of literacy, regardless of content area, are beneficial and can be applied

to all countless other disciplines. This is the kind of attitude I hope to instill in young learners.

We all exist in a world that is constantly creating new media in countless forms and

mediums. I hope that my experiences in New Media and Writing can open my eyes even further

to the expanses of literacy as well as how to write about them. I look forward to taking what I

learn from the course and applying it to the educational scaffolding in my mind that I am

endlessly building upon in order to make myself a more innovative and effective educator.