Meet Anne
ANNE HARRIS started tutoring peers in 1989, and hasn't stopped playing a role in teaching and education since.
Anne has, over time, served as an English teacher, journalist, humor columnist, essayist, editor, academic adviser, proofreader, career coach and more. Educated at Middlebury College (BA), Northwestern University (MA) and Harvard University (Ed.M), Anne has lived and taught across the country and globe.
Anne loves education in every facet, and will argue until she's blue in the face that there's something cool to learn around every corner (often literally). She loves to meet people, talk, push ideas to their far reaches, engage and feel intellectually challenged. Anne finds incredible enjoyment in reading and writing, and takes part in book and writing groups as often as possible.
Background
Anne began teaching high school English and journalism in Arizona in 1995, and over her career has designed and taught courses in AP literature, film studies, European Literature, creative writing, journalism and literary philosophy. She also worked as the Director of Academic Advising at Menlo School, while simultaneously serving as part of Menlo's college counseling team.
Anne has presented at and attended countless school-based conferences, including the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English), NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) and many more. These experiences have only fueled Anne's belief that education is an extraordinary privilege that shouldn't be confined to school or university walls. She sees so much intellectual enrichment come from exploring books, attempting creative writing, studying film or doing anything that delves.
Anne is deeply grateful for her learning mentors--starting with her parents--who brought imaginative literature to her attention and helped her realize that stretching intellectually and academically can be a lifelong pursuit. And while she'll gladly throw you dozens of reading suggestions, she knows equally that pottery making, gardening, hiking, knitting, orienteering, programming and more have their own kind of magic if you look for and embrace it.
During her undergraduate years at Middlebury College, Anne's focus lay in French culture and English literature. She also studied philosophy and economics while undertaking additional study in Scotland and England; later, while earning her first master's degree at Northwestern University, Anne branched into film and American literary studies. Finally, while earning her Ed.M. at Harvard, Anne self-designed an intense, multidisciplinary program that incorporated journalism, American literary and religious studies, law and education. After studying under professors Cornel West, Alan Dershowitz, Martha Minow and equally passionate educators, Anne became wholly invested in cross-curricular learning. She also enjoyed unprecedented opportunities as a result of serving as the Editor-in-Chief for Harvard's The Appian, where she received press passes to attend presentations by campus visitors as wide ranging as Kofi Annan and Nelson Mandela to Goldie Hawn and Samuel L. Jackson.
That's the thing about education: You never know what doors it will open. Delving is the place to start.
Anne has published personal essays in Middlebury Magazine and Independent School Magazine, written for Matters Magazine and edited professionally. She pens a regular humor column locally and is passionate about philanthropy. Anne lives in Lamorinda with her family, and has always been highly invested in both education and Star Wars metaphors.
Join in...
Anne is a teacher at heart and sees education as fluid and perpetual. Please read what's here for enjoyment, learning, or resources, take a class, or send Anne a note about new connections between Shakespeare and fractals.
Be well and May the Force be with you. Always.
-Anne