I am a retired English teacher with 33 years of teaching English grammar, composition, and literature in two public school districts at the secondary level. For several years I continued academic studies at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, where I pursued a doctorate degree in English and American literature. Although I completed all course requirements with a 3.666 average based on a 4.000 scale, I did not select my committee of professors for the requisite oral exams, nor did I produce a dissertation. However, I must admit that I wish I had. From November 1972 to June 1979, I taught English at Sumner High School, where I received seven years of invaluable training and experience in classroom management and curriculum development. The latter part of my teaching career was spent in East St. Louis School District 189 at East St. Louis Senior High School (September 1979-June 2002) and Lincoln Middle School (September 2002-June 2005). I was chairman of the English Department at East St. Louis Senior High for eight academic years. I was blessed to receive teacher awards and recognition variously from St. Clair County, students and parents, and commendations from fellow teachers, counselors, and my principal. I thank God for enabling me to develop a fervent passion and professional integrity that grew stronger and never diminished as an educator! In addition, I am blessed to be effective and successful as a seminary professor. I am currently employed as Professor of Pastoral Theology in the master's program at Anchor Theological Seminary and Bible Institute (East St. Louis extension). I am also a pianist/keyboardist and singer primarily of Christian music at my church and various other Christian venues. For sixteen years I pastored along with my now-deceased wife a non-denominational church, the Agape Family Christian Center in Belleville, Illinois. ("Agape" is a Greek term for God's divine love.) Our three sons were actively involved in every aspect of our Christian ministry. I pledge to help students achieve their stated life goals, and I will relate to each of them with respect and dignity. I pledge to also provide positive feedback and support to motivate them to learn and become proficient in oral and written communication. Accordingly, I will teach functional, standardized English grammar and composition as a tool of effective communication. My emphasis on using critical thinking skills is designed to help students process and evaluate various philosophies and thought patterns prevalent in our world. It is my hope that students engage in independent research in various fields. It is my hope that they each will work to contribute meaningfully to the betterment of all humanity without fear and without apology. Toward these ends, I will urge their parents/guardians to participate meaningfully in their child's educational, social, emotional, psychological, and moral development. I welcome the challenge to inspire my students to maintain a sense of moral urgency and commitment to the highest ideals of our American democracy. I welcome the challenge to motivate them to pay honor, dignity, and respect to others regardless of race, creed, nationality, ethnicity, color, gender, religion, and any other individual distinctions that tend to divide us as a nation. I welcome the challenge to inspire them to be perpetual learners, teachers, philosophers, statesmen, ambassadors, and humanitarians. I will pray that God will undergird their efforts to help change our nation--indeed, our world--for the betterment of all mankind.

My hobbies include playing piano and singing Christian music; listening to various music genres; reading mostly books and articles in theology and philosophy; writing and delivering Christian sermons and lessons in Christian education classes; landscaping; and being "dad" to my two adult sons and "papa" to my three grandchildren.