Ernest W. Seaholm High School

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS MISSION STATEMENT

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.-William Butler Yeats

Seaholm's English Department believes its responsibility to be twofold.

The program guides students through an integrated curriculum of reading and writing.  The reading program features diverse and challenging texts from classic and contemporary literature, which compel students to explore, evaluate, and respond to universal ideas.  Students are encouraged to read closely, think critically, and write analytically.  The writing program develops students’ skills from basic grammar and composition to logical, textually-supported meaningful essays.  The Department also recognizes the importance of oral communication and creative expression, the study of which serves to enrich the students’ perspective.

Moreover, the English Department is committed to the formation of good character and the development of empathy in its students through its content and conversations. The study of literature involves the exploration of what it means to be human; it forces us to grapple with life’s essential questions. This can be, at once, exhilarating and frustrating.  The Department strives to help students not only understand themselves but one another; to see not only the particular but also the universal, which ties all human beings together.  It is a beautiful thing indeed that through a fictional world we begin to make sense of reality; that through the particular we begin to understand the universal; and that through the other we come to know ourselves. 

What is a Harkness Seminar?

Please click on the Harkness Seminar page to discover more about the English Language Arts Department's commitment to authentic and meaningful conversations through Harkness-based seminars. 

Students of the Month-May 2023

We're so proud of the following students for being selected as Students of the Month. Teachers within the English Department are allowed to nominate one student per month to celebrate academic achievement and/or character development. Congratulations to Matt Astapovich, Peter Badalament, Max Charters, Rami Fakhour, Blake Gaulzetti, Finn Murray, Carter Richmond, Katelyn Sickinger, Ethan Tiffany, and Liam Trierweiler. 

WSHS has arrived!

Seaholm's radio station is live and on the air! WSHS will be hosting student-produced shows, as well as featuring playlists created by students and teachers alike. We're so proud of Mr. Stein and his mighty broadcasting crew for bringing back our radio station. Scan the QR code below and check us out, or follow the link: https://live365.com/station/WSHS-a73346

Why is everyone talking about ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is changing the way middle school and high school teachers, as well as college professors, are thinking and talking about writing instruction. The free program, created by a non-profit company called OpenAI, is doing to English and writing instruction what calculators did to math classes. Rest assured, Seaholm teachers are having conversations about best practices and pedagogy regarding this issue. Below you'll find a few articles about the program and the impact it is having around the country. For more information about what's happening in your child's classroom, please contact the classroom teacher. 

The College Essay is Dead-The Atlantic

The End of High School English-The Atlantic

Service Learning Partnership with Bound Together!

We are proud to announce a partnership with Bound Together, a non-profit organization offering tutoring services and more to children in Pontiac. Beginning in the fall of 2022, Seaholm students will be participating in a year-long mentoring program, offering the young Pontiac students tutoring in reading and writing, as well as building relationships and forming lasting friendships. Seaholm students grades 10-12 can volunteer for Wednesday after school tutoring sessions (reading, essay writing, etc.), or Monday after school creative sessions (offering guidance in poetry writing, storytelling, theater, etc.). Incoming Maple Freshmen can get involved as well by donating back packs or supplies for back packs during our Back to School Backpack Drive in August. If you are a parent or student looking to get involved with Bound Together, please contact Ms. Moten (RMoten@birmingham.k12.mi.us) for more details. For more information on Bound Together, please visit their Facebook page or click here. 

Look for us on social media!

Click on the links below to find Seaholm ELA activities on Instagram and Twitter.

*Instagram: Seaholm English Department

*Twitter: @SeaholmEnglish

Summer Reading Assignments 2023

Click here for the 2023 Summer Reading Assignment page or scan the QR code.

Have a safe and wonderful summer. More than ever, we are looking forward to seeing you in the fall! 

Seaholm English Department from BPS High School TV Production on Vimeo.