Well, hello! Glad you dropped in.
The name's Mr. Swanson, but you can call me Jacob if you'd like. (Unless you're a student. Then it's Mr. Swanson, Keeper of the Realm and Master of All Things Linguistic and Literary. Better not use my first name or I'll make you call me by my full title.) I'm glad you made it to this website, and I hope you found something useful or interesting. Make sure you send me a message; it's always good to hear from you, except, of course, when it isn't. But if you're here, you'd probably like to hear about who I am and why it is that I've written this ridiculous website and why I have any interest in English and why I care enough to teach it. So I'll tell you.
My Story
Everyone has a story; mine begins in the small town of Big Rapids, home of Ferris State University, in the western-central part of the great State of Michigan. I attended the local public schools from Kindergarten through high school, and graduated with Highest Honors in 2008. I was highly involved in the arts, and in all honesty I expected to pursue music and not English after I graduated. In fact, I quite hated English/Language Arts until about half-way through middle school--so if you find you can't stand this class at the beginning, know that there is hope!
My father was a math and physics teacher at the high school. Growing up, I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I knew that I absolutely did not want to be a teacher. It was too much work, it was too unpredictable, and people are just hard to work with. Fate sometimes has a sense of humor.
I started college in the Music program, studying classical voice at Western Michigan University. It only took about half a semester for me to realize I was in the wrong program. It was a fantastic program that I really enjoyed, but I realized that after I graduated in music, I had two options: perform for a living, which as a classical vocalist means "starve," or teach. I loved my music teachers, but I knew that it absolutely consumed their lives, and I simply didn't love classical music enough to eat, sleep and breathe it every day. ("Would you like some Beethoven with your eggs this morning?" "No, thank you, I think I've had--" "EAT IT ANYWAY!!") So I did what any sensible person would do and switched my major to English. It didn't take long to realize that that was where I wanted to be.
And it didn't take me long to realize that I really wanted to teach the material. The fact is, I've always wanted to work with young people, as crazy and unpredictable as you lot are. I love exploring literature, and I love seeing students dig in to a text, finding meaning and crafting their own. That's why I teach! I believe language has power, the power to express and relate ideas, and by harnessing language, we learn to control that power.
I graduated from WMU in 2013 with a BA in English Education, and after doing some traveling and exploring, here I am!
My father was a math and physics teacher at the high school. Growing up, I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I knew that I absolutely did not want to be a teacher. It was too much work, it was too unpredictable, and people are just hard to work with. Fate sometimes has a sense of humor.
I started college in the Music program, studying classical voice at Western Michigan University. It only took about half a semester for me to realize I was in the wrong program. It was a fantastic program that I really enjoyed, but I realized that after I graduated in music, I had two options: perform for a living, which as a classical vocalist means "starve," or teach. I loved my music teachers, but I knew that it absolutely consumed their lives, and I simply didn't love classical music enough to eat, sleep and breathe it every day. ("Would you like some Beethoven with your eggs this morning?" "No, thank you, I think I've had--" "EAT IT ANYWAY!!") So I did what any sensible person would do and switched my major to English. It didn't take long to realize that that was where I wanted to be.
And it didn't take me long to realize that I really wanted to teach the material. The fact is, I've always wanted to work with young people, as crazy and unpredictable as you lot are. I love exploring literature, and I love seeing students dig in to a text, finding meaning and crafting their own. That's why I teach! I believe language has power, the power to express and relate ideas, and by harnessing language, we learn to control that power.
I graduated from WMU in 2013 with a BA in English Education, and after doing some traveling and exploring, here I am!
My Interests
I like to think that I'm a man of many hats. Here are a few things that I love to do, and a few that I'd love to do more of.
Academically, I'm a linguist at heart. I love finding IPA transcriptions of languages and dialects and trying to read them, I love reading about the history of English and other languages, and I even enjoy treeing sentences from time to time. In college I took a class on Old English (think Beowulf-style 10th-century Anglo-Saxon, not Shakespeare) and loved it. Well, actually, I only started the class. Ok, to be perfectly honest, I started it twice and never finished it. (It was a grad-level class that I never really had the time for, just the ambition. Maybe if I someday go back to school....) Point is, I love the workings of language. As far as literature goes, I love the old Brits, from Beowulf to Jonathan Swift, especially when they shed some light on the social realities of the day. Secretly, I also really enjoy Jane Austen, but don't tell anyone. That might be embarrassing.
I feel at home in the outdoors. (If I could have all of my classes outside, I would!) Whenever I go back home to Big Rapids, I make sure I spend some time in the woods behind our house. Just recently, I wandered off the path to find a patch of pine trees that I'd never seen before, and I felt like quite the adventurer as I crossed the creek over some fallen logs. Sometimes, I wish I could still get a job as an explorer, but that's a career that's pretty well passed. I also love rock climbing and high ropes, which I taught for three summers at a camp. Truth be told, I've never been climbing on real rocks, but I would jump at the chance to go.
As you can probably tell by this point, I quite enjoy writing. (Yes, Mr. Swanson, we know...) I'm not much of a creative writer, but I do enjoy writing creative non-fiction, and I'm a pretty consistent journaler. (I've tried blogs, but it's too much of a commitment. I can never stop writing when I get going, and I don't have that much time.) Outside is the best place to write. If I could write about linguistics under trees, I'd be a happy camper.
Academically, I'm a linguist at heart. I love finding IPA transcriptions of languages and dialects and trying to read them, I love reading about the history of English and other languages, and I even enjoy treeing sentences from time to time. In college I took a class on Old English (think Beowulf-style 10th-century Anglo-Saxon, not Shakespeare) and loved it. Well, actually, I only started the class. Ok, to be perfectly honest, I started it twice and never finished it. (It was a grad-level class that I never really had the time for, just the ambition. Maybe if I someday go back to school....) Point is, I love the workings of language. As far as literature goes, I love the old Brits, from Beowulf to Jonathan Swift, especially when they shed some light on the social realities of the day. Secretly, I also really enjoy Jane Austen, but don't tell anyone. That might be embarrassing.
I feel at home in the outdoors. (If I could have all of my classes outside, I would!) Whenever I go back home to Big Rapids, I make sure I spend some time in the woods behind our house. Just recently, I wandered off the path to find a patch of pine trees that I'd never seen before, and I felt like quite the adventurer as I crossed the creek over some fallen logs. Sometimes, I wish I could still get a job as an explorer, but that's a career that's pretty well passed. I also love rock climbing and high ropes, which I taught for three summers at a camp. Truth be told, I've never been climbing on real rocks, but I would jump at the chance to go.
As you can probably tell by this point, I quite enjoy writing. (Yes, Mr. Swanson, we know...) I'm not much of a creative writer, but I do enjoy writing creative non-fiction, and I'm a pretty consistent journaler. (I've tried blogs, but it's too much of a commitment. I can never stop writing when I get going, and I don't have that much time.) Outside is the best place to write. If I could write about linguistics under trees, I'd be a happy camper.
* * * * *
I could write more, but this is already more than you wanted to know. What about you? If you're a student, write me a mini-biography of yourself on the contact page and there may be something a little extra awaiting you at the end of the grading period! I'm excited for our time together, whether as colleagues, partners in your child's education, or as your teacher, and I hope you're ready for a wonderful year.
Sincerely,
Mr. Swanson
Keeper of the Realm, Master of All Things Linguistic and Literary, etc. etc.
Sincerely,
Mr. Swanson
Keeper of the Realm, Master of All Things Linguistic and Literary, etc. etc.