I am a graduate from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. I majored in History and minored in English (with an emphasis on writing). I have lived in three countries, including my own, (US, Iran, and New Zealand) and have enjoyed learning about the culture of Iran and New Zealand. I value cultural diversity and try to protect it. I was an assistant teacher for one year and loved it so much that I decided to become a professional teacher. I returned to the University of Auckland to obtain a teaching degree. I taught English Language Arts, English, Social Studies, and History. While history is dear to my heart, I have gravitated toward English language arts and literature because it can be so engaging and fun to explore. I especially take pleasure in helping students write more clearly. There seems to be an idea that a sentence or paragraph or essay is supposed to be finished in one sweep of time. I believe this is why students become frustrated with writing. Once they learn that sentences are used to transmit ideas and that they have different functions within a paragraph, students tend to relax. And when they learn that writing is a process that takes timethat sentences can be clarified, moved, deleted, rewritten, blended together, etc.a quietness of thinking fills the room and magic happens. I love reading a piece of writing that students are proud of. To quote William Gass, "the true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words."