J Alan Ruff

By -
               My name is Alan Ruff and I’m a Middle Level Education major with focuses in ELA and Social Studies.  I’ve postponed graduation by a semester so that I could complete my add-on certification for Secondary Social Studies as well.  My college graduation will coincide with my 25th wedding anniversary.  I’ve known my wife since we were in Junior High and we have four beautiful daughters ranging in ages from 23 to 8.
                I attended Upstate back in 1988 when it was still known as USC-Spartanburg.  I dropped out after my third semester because I couldn’t stand the thought of sitting in a classroom for another day while life passed me by.  I began working full-time, got married, had children, and established a professional career that I assumed would be my last profession. 
                When my youngest daughter began elementary school, her sisters challenged me to return to Upstate and finish my degree.  I was amazed that at my age they believed I could, and should, become a teacher.  Now, six semesters later, I realize it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

                I love to read and write.  I love to tell stories.  And I love watching others find their potential.  I can’t wait to have a classroom of my own where I’m afforded the opportunity to open a world wisdom and wonder to each of my students.

Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 24, 2016 at 8:29 PM

    The way you and your wife met is considered to be "relationship goals." I love the fact that not only have you been married for 25 years but your family has been your support system. I also admire that you decided to return to school and finish what you started; therefore, you would be a great example for your students to let them know that whatever you put your mind to you can do it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownAugust 26, 2016 at 8:35 AM

    It definitely takes a love of people to be a teacher. I think the love of watching others find their potential is the sign of a great teacher.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Growing Pains - The Symbolism of the Tree in Speak

By -
I have felt the paralyzing pain of internal disease. The kind of trauma that causes your mouth to curl in and swallow you whole. I, like so many other women, are walking the halls in Melinda’s shoes in “Speak.” I thought Laurie Anderson did a phenomenal job of twisting all of the tribulations a high school girl goes through, into the tree that Melinda is. Whether we’re as strong as an oak or weak as a bush, we have all gone through the disease that strikes Melinda from the inside out. Melinda is like a half-dead tree. Some parts of her strive to blossom and create beauty. Other parts are broken and diseased. Like a dead tree, Melinda needs to save herself and “cut off the damage, [so it] is possible for the tree to grow again” (187). The symbolism of a tree is significant in “Speak.” Trees reflect her growing process. In the beginning, Melinda is a sick and lifeless tree. Her view is negative and dark. She’s so far past repair, bursts of sunlight do her no good. Sunlight would be pe
Read more

How Starr Goes from Acting to Embracing in The Hate U Give

By -
In The Hate U Give, Starr Carter is caught between two worlds. She lives in a predominantly black neighborhood, but her father sends her and her brothers to a private school where she is surrounded by white people. She talks about acting differently depending on what group she is around, which can create some identity problems. She says on page 11, "Funny how it works with white kids though. It's dope to be black until it's hard to be black." When at Williamson, she sees white kids that think it's cool to engage in black culture, but she knows they don't understand what she goes through in her Garden Heights community. She witnessed her friend Natasha's death when she was 10 years old, and she sees gang activity in her community all the time. When she is among her black friends, like at the party, they tease her for hanging out with the white kids. This reminds me of a Drake song where he says, "I used to get teased for being black, and now I'm
Read more

Speak and the Symbolism of Nature

By Anonymous -
   Laurie Halse Anderson's,  Speak , dives into the murky, muddy waters of adolescent rape culture. When the book was published in 1999, rape was not a comfortable topic to discuss with adults, let alone teenagers. Anderson writes about Melinda Sordino and her freshman high school experience which is turning out to be rather negative. Soriano stands as a thriving young role model for struggling teenage girls all over the world. Although she isn't an outstanding student or have plenty of friends to juggle, through Melinda, other young women can see that it's completely normal and okay to struggle in high school not only academically, but socially and emotionally. One of my favorite parts of the novel isn't a super obvious quality. Throughout the novel, Melinda's attitude changes and grows with the coming of spring and through nature and art, she learns to move past her troubling end of summer experience and once again find the importance of her voice.    Melinda st
Read more