The teachers of the RMHS English Department believe that the study of English language arts is essential for improving reading, thinking, and communication skills. A rich English language arts curriculum plays a key role in preparing students for responsible civic participation and a fuller understanding of the joys and struggles that make up the human condition.

We do not just read, write, and speak. We read, write, and speak to understand ourselves and the world more fully. Indeed, the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy calls for a curriculum that “broadens worldviews” and “enlarges experiences,” one in which students “come to understand other perspectives and cultures.”

The state asks us to do this with “a diverse set of authentic texts, balanced across genres, cultures, and time periods,” and with “respect for freedom of speech and thought,” and “a commitment to equality.”

It calls on us to create classrooms in which students are “collaborating respectfully with diverse peers.”