Sacramento English Professor Enjoys Working With Developmental Writers

With demands for STEM majors being the rallying cry for our nation's young adults in the twenty-first century, colleges are more apt to stuff curriculums full of coding and calculus rather than the arts of reading, writing and critical thinking. But those latter skills have become even more important than we originally thought. The average human being writes more than ever these days, whether it be online over social media or in professional settings for work. The need to translate analytics and data into meaningful and useful information is up to the researcher who puts that information out. As a full-time professor of English at American River College, Michael Angelone is on the front lines of teaching and instructing developmental writers into becoming proficient communicators and critical thinkers in and outside of  American River College.

What does your job entail?

"My job entails teaching reading, writing, and critical thinking. I also help write curriculum, develop departmental and institutional goals, and participate in the shared governance process."

What do you enjoy about your job?

"I enjoy working with developmental writers because I see the most amount of growth in the shortest amount of time."

What was your education history?

"I attended Sacramento State for my B.A. and M.A.. I graduated in 2005."

Do you feel your education has prepared you for this job?

"Yes and no. I feel my education prepared me for my work in the classroom, but not so much outside the classroom. Institutional habits related to work outside the classroom are learned through experience."

Any advice for someone seeking a similar career?

"If you want to be a full-time professor, you may have to accept a job anywhere in the country. If you want to work in Sacramento, be prepared to freeway fly for at least three to four years from college to college as an adjunct professor. I gave myself a five year goal: If I did not get an offer for a full-time tenure track position within five years of graduating with my MA, my plan was to change careers altogether.

Paulo Acoba is a California native raised in the Bay Area and living in the Central Valley. He enjoys distance running, cycling and grassroots motorsports. He holds a degree in management from the University of California Merced. Paulo has been writing for Examiner.com since 2012 and covering the Fresno area.