About

Grant Wiggins and Dana Huff
Dana Huff (right) with the Late, Great Grant Wiggins

Welcome to huffenglish.com. I’m Dana Huff, the author of all the blog posts and other materials you can find here (unless I have indicated otherwise).

I began teaching English in 1997, and over the course of my teaching career, I have taught English/language arts or journalism to all grades 6-12 and pre-K. In 2010, I earned my master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Virginia Tech and worked in technology integration for a few years. In 2021, I successfully defended my dissertation in practice, Teachers’ Perspectives and Perceptions on Implementing Proficiency-Based Grading and Authentic Assessment and earned an EdD from Northeastern University.

I began working at Worcester Academy in Worcester, MA as Technology Integration Specialist and English teacher in 2012. I am currently the English Department Chair at Worcester Academy. I have previously worked at the Weber School in Atlanta, GA, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Houston County Schools, and Twiggs County Schools.

In 2017, my colleagues at Worcester Academy selected me for the O’Connell Teaching Award, one of two awards to honor excellence in teaching. I was selected as the Georgia Secondary Teacher of the Year by the Georgia Council of Teachers of English and a Teacher of Excellence by the National Council of Teachers of English in 2010.

I have published a teacher’s guide for the epic poem Beowulf (PDF) and have an article in the July 2006 issue of English Journal—”Toward ‘Moral Perfection’: Integrating Judaic Concepts and Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography.” I have also published “Telling the Story of America: Digital Storytelling Projects in American Literature” in the January 2017 issue of English Journal.

This site is powered by WordPress and hosted by DreamHost. I use a child theme based on the WordPress themeTwenty Fourteen. Many folks have asked me about the header image. It is a real intersection in the Atlanta area. My husband Steve took the photo.

If you have questions about me or my blog, feel free to contact me, but not about guest posts, ads, or similar offers.

14 thoughts on “About”

  2. Mrs. Huff,

    Thank you for sharing your thorough, well-organized, thought-provoking work! I am teaching American Literature for the first time this year and feel grateful to have stumbled upon your website. Your insightful connections and ideas for student projects improve my outlook (and my confidence) in teaching the same material.

    I have never "blogged" or responded to any website prior to this submission, but I feel compelled to say, "Thank you!" I appreciate you sharing your work for the betterment of students, parents, teachers, and life-long learners!

    Sincerely,

    Mrs. Allison Siddens

    P.S.

    Any advice for “green” American Literature teachers?

    P.P.S.

    I believe I sent this message on the wrong "blog"–I'm sorry to be repetitive!

  3. Hi,

    I work for Memphis City Schools. I help teachers use technology in their classrooms. Tomorrow I am showing some high teachers what blogs are and how they might begin to use this as a tool in their content area. You have a great blog and I would like to use as an example, your permission would even make it a better experience for this group. I would also like to know what tool you used to create your blog. Thanks for your input.

  4. I just want to thank you for posting your work. I used your Great Gatsby Treasure Hunt with my eleventh grade American Lit class I they really enjoyed it.

    I am working to use more and more technology with my students. I am excited to use new approaches of teaching. I think I get a little further with teenagers when I enter their world of technology.

  5. Wow, Waldun Pond! That's great. I'm just cruising through your blog because though I'm donig my best to become a writer I realize I'm going to need to pay rent and I've been considering becoming an English teacher.

    I have noticed from the hundred blogs that I've seen thus far that most English teachers aren't too happy and they all seem to vent, though they enjoy the kids.

    I'm currently debating whether to teach high school or college English. I'll be returning to school for both and figured that I should read up on both and see which was more rewarding and less stressful.

  6. I love your site. How do I get a username and password for access to your freshman pages?

    Nancy

  7. I am using (and citing) your Romeo and Juliet Powerpoint! Great stuff! I love your site and will be sure to share it with all my English Teacher friends! Keep up the great work!

    G. Justice

    Eastern North Carolina

  8. Mrs. Huff,

    Thank you so much for your site! I love it and plan on using it next year. I just graduated from Auburn University, and I'll be teaching 8th grade English! I'm nervous, but I'm excited. Sites like yours help me feel a little bit better!

    Thank you!

    E. Harp

  9. Ms. Huff,

    I am currently attending Auburn Univserity and am majoring in Secondary English Education. I was so excited when I stumbled across your site, looking for research for a class. Everything has been so helpful and given me such great ideas about how I can implement concepts and new ideas into my future classroom. Thank you so much for everything!

    War Eagle!

    Kelly A. Mezick

    Auburn University

    Auburn, Alabama

  10. Hi Dana,

    I'm just returning to teaching after a long hiatus and have been reinventing myself as a 21st century language arts teacher. Will be working soon in Philadelphia. Am reading Will Richardson's BLOGS, WIKIS, POSCASTS…. and took his suggestion to get involved directly in a blog. I'd like to join yours since you seem brilliant at both the teaching and the technology and seem to be explaining so many new things so well as I begin this new journey in the classroom. Am planning to set up class websites and blogs and as much technology as I can figure out how to do. Will no doubt have to start slowly and enlist the help of students. Any and all advice will be appreciated. This is my very first blog, except for one I started for a seminar group, which hasn't taken off yet for some reason. Looking forward to learning from you.

    Wendy

  11. Dana,

    Thank you for your diligence in listing and describing the apps that you used to create this site. I am trying to build an interactive High School library site, and though I have ideas of what I want, I have been stumped as to how to do it. I'm going to explore everything you've listed under the heading "This Site" and I think I will finally achieve success. Thank you for the virtual collaboration. Great work.

    Leslie

    Toronto, Canada

  12. I have enjoyed reading your blog, and all that you are doing in the classroom. You have inspired me to begin blogging and to encourage my students to blog as well.

    Thank you!

  13. Hello! I just came across your post about the project where Whitman/Dickinson go on a blind date. It sounds really fun! I tried to click on the PDF you provided, though, and it says that the file cannot be found. Is there any way that I could get a copy of that? I’m thinking about teaching this with my students soon.

    1. Hi Melissa, I don’t have a clue where that handout might be anymore, but you could easily put the assignment together with your own spin. Students have had fun with that one.

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