Who is "The Mayne Event?"

Hello everyone! Since this is my first blog post, I probably should introduce myself... A sort of "background check" for all of you avid bloggers out there.



First of all, my name is Matt. I am 24 years old and currently, I am a high school English Language Arts Teacher at Batavia High School. This is my second year at Batavia High School and I am really loving my job there. I teach Sophomore and Senior English (which is quite difficult considering the age of my students and my own age...). I am ALSO the "Drama Specialist" at the school, teaching the drama electives as well as directing the annual musical and other dramatic shows throughout the year.



I grew up in Lockport, New York and went to Lockport High School. I went to SUNY Brockport for my undergraduate degree in English and Adolescence Education (with a middle school extension, of course). While in college, I was enrolled in an advanced program known as DELTA College. This program embodies the importance of building relationships based on the mutual respect between students and teachers. The program focuses on teaching leadership skills while encouraging students to paticipate in creative group projects and public speaking activities. Much of how I teach today revolves around the skills that I learned while being a part of this great program.



Two of my coolest college experiences came from my being a part of DELTA. The program requires its students to study abroad. Honestly, I felt a little nervous to travel to other countries (in the midst of 9/11)... but Sandra (the program's director) labelled my "class" as the "brave raccoons," or students determined to get what they could out of their college experience and her support really helped me to venture out into the world.



First, I studied Victorian Literature (Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Emily Bronte, Lewis Carrol) while taking a "literary tour" of England. This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. While there I got to visit many famous places, including the GLOBE THEATER (or the replica of it, since the original burned down). I have always loved Shakespeare and it was so awesome to actually be there.



Next, I studied abroad in Ghana, a small country on the Ivory Coast of Africa. There I studied the culture of the Asante people and the history of the country. This was quite the moving experience, an experience that has given me much to talk about in school.



If you get the chance to study abroad, DO IT! Never pass up on an experience like that!



After graduating college in 2006, I was hired as a long term substitute English teacher at Brockport High School for about half a year. Then, I was quickly hired for another long term substitute position at Orchard Park High School for the second half of the year. I felt pretty lucky, as it is VERY difficult to find an English teaching position in Western New York.



However, that next summer, I did not get hired full-time by either of the two districts I taught in. I thought that I would have to move away, and did, in fact, get hired over the phone by three school districts in South Carolina. I decided to take a job as a seventh grade ELA teacher in Beaufort County, South Carolina (right outside of Hilton Head)... but not two days later, was a called for an interview at Batavia High School! I was hired there and abandoned my thought to move down south (At some points during the frigid winter, I feel that I made the wrong decision...). The position I was hired for at Batavia turned into a full-time position and luckily I did a good enough job the first year to be hired back. That is where I am today!





Currently, I am juggling a TON of activities. I am a Board of Directors Director for the Batavia Players theater group, currently planning its one act play festival for the fall. I am also acting in Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors, with the Batavia Players (I have rehearsals three nights a week), and am playing one of the lead characters. At the same time, I am the director of the Batavia High School musical, Little Shop of Horrors. We have rehearsals for this show every day of the week (besides Thursday, to make room for my graduate class) and the show is set to open March 6. Later this year, I am participating in the HOBY conference as a youth facilitator. Presently, I am also helping to organize the conference... adding more work to my already busy work load.



One final thing about me... I am a perfectionist. It is my biggest strength and my biggest weakness at the same time. I work so hard, always overworking myself, to make sure that everything I do is done to my fullest potential. I seem to never stop working, even when I get a break... I wonder if there are others like me in this class? I wouldn't doubt it :)





This class seems like it will be quite interesting. Can't wait to hear from you all.