"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."--W.B. Yeats

Language and symbol are the means by which we understand and affect our experience. Through our study of language, students will examine many voices and choices within the human experience. Our study will help us nurture our students as they hear, appreciate, understand and seek the voices of others; define, refine, share their own voices; and make more enlightened choices.

Our program focuses on preparing students for college by developing their writing, reading, listening, speaking, critical thinking and media literacy skills. Every course offered in the English Department will prepare students to succeed in all areas of academia. Students will be prepared and encouraged to enroll in A.P. English courses.

Ultimately, when our students leave Payton, we want them to...

• be able to create effective, sophisticated, and original pieces of
writing for a variety of academic and non-academic audiences and occasions
• be capable of analyzing and evaluating the rhetorical structure of a variety of texts independently
• have a vast collegiate vocabulary and literacy in academic language
• be critical consumers of information and media
• feel confident about their ability to write, speak, listen, read, and think in any situation they may encounter in the academic world, the workplace, and the world outside those institutions
• be capable of achieving whatever goals they set for themselves
• love reading and enjoy the writing process
• be actively engaged in their worlds, individually, at home, at work, and in their communities
• be aware, tolerant, respectful, and understanding of other people
• know who they are
• be leaders

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."--W.B. Yeats

Language and symbol are the means by which we understand and affect our experience. Through our study of language, students will examine many voices and choices within the human experience. Our study will help us nurture our students as they hear, appreciate, understand and seek the voices of others; define, refine, share their own voices; and make more enlightened choices.

Our program focuses on preparing students for college by developing their writing, reading, listening, speaking, critical thinking and media literacy skills. Every course offered in the English Department will prepare students to succeed in all areas of academia. Students will be prepared and encouraged to enroll in A.P. English courses.

Ultimately, when our students leave Payton, we want them to...

• be able to create effective, sophisticated, and original pieces of
writing for a variety of academic and non-academic audiences and occasions
• be capable of analyzing and evaluating the rhetorical structure of a variety of texts independently
• have a vast collegiate vocabulary and literacy in academic language
• be critical consumers of information and media
• feel confident about their ability to write, speak, listen, read, and think in any situation they may encounter in the academic world, the workplace, and the world outside those institutions
• be capable of achieving whatever goals they set for themselves
• love reading and enjoy the writing process
• be actively engaged in their worlds, individually, at home, at work, and in their communities
• be aware, tolerant, respectful, and understanding of other people
• know who they are
• be leaders

Renate Anderson

Ms. Anderson integrates literature, history, and the arts in her World Literature and Advanced Placement Art History classes. Formerly a housing and environmental policy advocate, she decided to pursue her interest in the humanities and education after living for three years in the region of Provence, France. Following her student teaching in Wellington, New Zealand, Ms. Anderson joined Payton in 2001, and after two years teaching American Literature and Contemporary U.S. History, she left to attend the University of Chicago. There she completed the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities, concentrating her studies on Renaissance art and history. Ms. Anderson also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oregon in Planning, Public Policy and Management and a Master of Education from DePaul University.

David Adamji

Mr. David Adamji has moved around quite a bit before finally landing here at Payton. He began his teaching career as a Teach for America Corps member in New Orleans, Louisiana. He taught 9th-12th grade at Marion Abramson Senior High School and helped start a varsity soccer program at a neighboring school. After returning to Chicago, he worked for a year as a substitute at Payton and then taught English and writing and coached baseball for two years at CICS Northtown Academy. He also spent a year teaching in Michigan as his wife pursued her master's degree in Ann Arbor.

Mr. Adamji grew up in Evanston, Illinois and is a graduate of Kalamazoo College where he spent a year abroad in East Africa and played both varsity soccer and baseball. He is currently pursuing his master's degree at Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English and plans to finish during the 2008-2009 school year. Outside of school, he enjoys hanging out with his wife, traveling, reading, playing a variety of pick-up sports, cooking, and practicing the guitar at The Old Town School of Folk Music.

Tiffany Batiste-Gilmore

Coming Soon.

Kerry Catlin
[Department Chair]

Ms. Kerry Catlin joins the English Department after a five-year extended family leave. Before her leave, she spent six years teaching English and Drama at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center. She began her teaching career at Farragut Career Academy. While on family leave, Ms. Catlin taught Drama and served as Master Teacher with Lookingglass Theatre Company. At Payton, she is teaching British Literature, AP Language and Composition, and Drama. Ms. Catlin will also be sponsoring Payton Players. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and completed her M.Ed. at DePaul University.

Maryann Marchiafava

Coming Soon.

Michelle Mowery

Michelle Mowery has taught for many years in different educational settings. She was a Lecturer in English at St. Xavier University for 13 years where she team-taught core courses with music, art, and speech professors and led a senior level research course in the liberal arts division. She also served as English Department Chair, English teacher, and NHS Adviser at Regina Dominican High School. Most recently she taught English at Lake Forest Academy where she was also the girls junior varsity tennis coach and a member of the Technology Committee. Ms. Mowery is a graduate of the University of Chicago where she received a B.A. and M.A. in English Literature. She later attended Loyola University Chicago to earn her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Molly Spooner

Molly Spooner graduated from Dartmouth College, where she majored in Spanish Literature. During her Junior year she participated in the "Semester at Sea" program, which took her around the world to countries such as Vietnam, India, Russia, and Israel.

Ms. Spooner spent three years in the private sector before enrolling in the Masters in Education program at DePaul University. She began her teaching career at Marshall High School in 2003. Academic year 2006-2007 was Ms. Spooner's first year at Walter Payton College Prep, when she introduced the English Department's elective in Latin-American Literature, sponsored Payton's Art and Literature Magazine, organized Payton's participation in the Poetry Out Loud contest, and, with the other Freshmen English teachers, created a new Freshmen program.

Greg Wright

Coming Soon.

Brandon Newton

Coming Soon.

Erica Thompson

Coming Soon.

Renate Anderson

Ms. Anderson integrates literature, history, and the arts in her World Literature and Advanced Placement Art History classes. Formerly a housing and environmental policy advocate, she decided to pursue her interest in the humanities and education after living for three years in the region of Provence, France. Following her student teaching in Wellington, New Zealand, Ms. Anderson joined Payton in 2001, and after two years teaching American Literature and Contemporary U.S. History, she left to attend the University of Chicago. There she completed the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities, concentrating her studies on Renaissance art and history. Ms. Anderson also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oregon in Planning, Public Policy and Management and a Master of Education from DePaul University.

David Adamji

Mr. David Adamji has moved around quite a bit before finally landing here at Payton. He began his teaching career as a Teach for America Corps member in New Orleans, Louisiana. He taught 9th-12th grade at Marion Abramson Senior High School and helped start a varsity soccer program at a neighboring school. After returning to Chicago, he worked for a year as a substitute at Payton and then taught English and writing and coached baseball for two years at CICS Northtown Academy. He also spent a year teaching in Michigan as his wife pursued her master's degree in Ann Arbor.

Mr. Adamji grew up in Evanston, Illinois and is a graduate of Kalamazoo College where he spent a year abroad in East Africa and played both varsity soccer and baseball. He is currently pursuing his master's degree at Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English and plans to finish during the 2008-2009 school year. Outside of school, he enjoys hanging out with his wife, traveling, reading, playing a variety of pick-up sports, cooking, and practicing the guitar at The Old Town School of Folk Music.

Tiffany Batiste-Gilmore

Coming Soon.

Kerry Catlin
[Department Chair]

Ms. Kerry Catlin joins the English Department after a five-year extended family leave. Before her leave, she spent six years teaching English and Drama at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center. She began her teaching career at Farragut Career Academy. While on family leave, Ms. Catlin taught Drama and served as Master Teacher with Lookingglass Theatre Company. At Payton, she is teaching British Literature, AP Language and Composition, and Drama. Ms. Catlin will also be sponsoring Payton Players. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and completed her M.Ed. at DePaul University.

Maryann Marchiafava

Coming Soon.

Michelle Mowery

Michelle Mowery has taught for many years in different educational settings. She was a Lecturer in English at St. Xavier University for 13 years where she team-taught core courses with music, art, and speech professors and led a senior level research course in the liberal arts division. She also served as English Department Chair, English teacher, and NHS Adviser at Regina Dominican High School. Most recently she taught English at Lake Forest Academy where she was also the girls junior varsity tennis coach and a member of the Technology Committee. Ms. Mowery is a graduate of the University of Chicago where she received a B.A. and M.A. in English Literature. She later attended Loyola University Chicago to earn her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Molly Spooner

Molly Spooner graduated from Dartmouth College, where she majored in Spanish Literature. During her Junior year she participated in the "Semester at Sea" program, which took her around the world to countries such as Vietnam, India, Russia, and Israel.

Ms. Spooner spent three years in the private sector before enrolling in the Masters in Education program at DePaul University. She began her teaching career at Marshall High School in 2003. Academic year 2006-2007 was Ms. Spooner's first year at Walter Payton College Prep, when she introduced the English Department's elective in Latin-American Literature, sponsored Payton's Art and Literature Magazine, organized Payton's participation in the Poetry Out Loud contest, and, with the other Freshmen English teachers, created a new Freshmen program.

Greg Wright

Coming Soon.

Brandon Newton

Coming Soon.

Erica Thompson

Coming Soon.