WELCOME!

Hello and WELCOME to ENGLISH: The RIDE!

My name is Gavin Meeks and I am teacher and coach in Columbus/Worthington, Ohio.  I have been teaching for 18 years. There have been many occasions that I have thought about starting a blog. Now that we are a Google Apps for Education school district here in Worthington, I discovered that Google makes starting a blog easy, and I decided to take the opportunity.

I am proud to say I am a graduate of Ohio University where I earned two bachelors degrees, one in journalism and the other in English Literature Education.  I also have a masters in teaching and learning from National University in San Diego, California.  That being said, I am a flawed human being who has blind fingers that often fail me at the skill of keyboarding.  Please try to see past this as you read and consider the content over the presentation as much a humanly possible.

I would like to guarantee that my writing will not stray into religious or political waters; again however, being the flawed human I am, I am sure that a slant will appear from time to time in what I write.  OK, probably more than I would like.  Given that truism, let me share a bit about where I find myself concerning those arenas.  I am an Evangelical Christian.  I try to make Christ the center of my life, and I fail all too often to follow Him the way I would like.  This shortcoming does not deter me from the attempt.  I have been a registered republican for years, but find myself less and less able to identify with conservatives each year.  I do not agree with a large percentage of the views of today's democratic party either, and I find myself disgusted that our political parties are now so polarized that little to no business is done in Washington D.C..  That leaves me neither Blue nor Red, but more of a Magenta in my political views.

I currently teach English at a phenomenal institution, Worthington Kilbourne High School.  I am also the varsity boy's golf coach.  My colleagues are among the best educators in the country and I feel honored, humbled, and, honestly, a bit unworthy to work with them.  I am truly blessed to share my life with these educators and the students I teach.

Last, but most important, I am married to wonderful godly woman and have two amazing children, a boy who is a godly young man, athletic, and intelligent; and a beautiful, intelligent daughter who is a pre-pro ballerina and a child of God herself.  I could not ask for more.

I hope that you will enjoy my writing, and that you will check back often to be challenged in your thinking and hopefully learn something from time to time.

As I tell my students at the end of each class:  Have a day!  Make it your own!