Thom Wade
English Literature (Experienced)

Thom Wade is currently teaching AP* English Literature at Arroyo Grande High School on the Central Coast of California.  A thirty-four year veteran of California’s public education system, Thom received National Board Certification in English Language Arts for Adolescents and Young Adults in 2002 and has been teaching Advanced Placement at Arroyo Grande High for sixteen years.  Under his leadership, the program has grown from thirty-two students to more than one hundred and ten, developing a successful English vertical team approach along the way.  After receiving his bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from UCLA in 1973, Thom began his career in the urban schools of Los Angeles Unified before spending a decade at Westlake High in Ventura County teaching at risk and honors students in grades 9-12.  He has worked as an AVID elective teacher and has trained others in AVID methodologies.  He recently authored a UC approved elective course, Literature of the War in Vietnam and has been selected for the Teaching Vietnam Teachers Network.  Thom is the current chairperson of the Academic Committee of the College Board Western Region.  Thom was a Charter Fellow of the UCLA/California Writing Project in 1977 and received recognition as the 2001 Teacher of the Year for the Pacific Region of the California Association for the Gifted.  He has been an AP* reader or Table Leader for nine years and was one of the Chief Readers of the California Golden State Reading Literature exam working on the GSE Test Development Team for the first five years of the exam.  Thom has been a presenter at numerous state and national conferences including sessions at the 2003 and 2006 National Advanced Placement Conferences.

 

What Participants Say...

 

Thom had amazing material.  I really appreciated all the insight.

 

Thom was is phenomenal instructor. 

 

What a bonus to have everything on a CD! Generous, humorous, compassionate.