A Literature Rollercoaster: The Bond Between English and Ms. Thoms

Annie Thoms is an English teacher and a graduate of Stuyvesant’s class of 1993. Through an email interview, she shared her experiences as a previous student and the path she took to get to where she is today.

What subject do you teach? Why did you choose to teach it?

English. I have always loved reading and writing, and teaching English allows me to explore so many interesting ideas and topics with my students, and to get to know them as people while encouraging them to develop their voices as writers.

Do you have any funny anecdotes from your years in the classroom, either as a student or teacher? 

As a student, I was in the class of 1993—the first graduating class from this building, after spending three years in the old building on East 15th Street. When we moved in, the building was almost but not quite finished—the theater wasn’t open until the spring, and I’m pretty sure we were walking on a subfloor on the bridge. On the escalators, they hadn’t put in those bumps that stop you from sliding down them, so we would slide down them!

Why did you choose to teach at Stuyvesant? Why do you like (or not like) to teach here?

I came back to Stuyvesant as a student teacher when I was getting my Master’s degree from Teachers College because I wanted to work with two of the English teachers who had changed my life: Judith Kocela Hawk and Steven Shapiro. I didn’t plan to stay on as a teacher here, but as a student teacher I had this really magical class—they all loved being in class together, and so excited about writing short stories, and I loved teaching them—and when Dr. Shapiro, who was the chair of the department, told me there was going to be a maternity leave and offered me the job, I said yes. That was 25 years ago. I’ve stayed because of how much I love Stuy students—your intensity and creativity inspire me!—and how much I love my colleagues. Our English department works so hard and shares so much; this is a constantly challenging and inspiring place to teach.

Can you tell us a little more about your younger years? Where did you grow up? What did you love to do as a child?

I grew up on the Upper West Side, in a fourth-floor, walk-up, rent-controlled one-bedroom apartment. We eventually moved to a bigger apartment, and then we fought less. I always loved to read. My brother played lots of different sports, and there’s a story in my family about how someone asked me what my favorite thing was to do with a ball, and I said, “Sit on it and read a book.”

When I was in elementary school, my mom made me a list of tasks to get ready in the morning—get dressed, brush teeth—and one of the things on my list was “Don’t read.” If I started reading, I wouldn’t do anything else. 

Did you always want to be a teacher? If not, what did you want to be beforehand?

My parents were both teachers—my mom was a reading specialist, and my dad was a college English professor—so I came from a very teaching-focused household, and I always loved English. My mom used to say, “You don’t have to be a teacher!” but teaching has so much I love and am good at. I feel very lucky to have found the career early in my life. In middle school, I thought I wanted to be an actor, and I acted a lot in plays in high school and college, but I didn’t want a life of constant auditioning. I thought about becoming a writer, but I’m too much of an extrovert. I don’t want to work alone in a room. 

Any advice for anyone who is struggling in English class?

Put down your phone and read a book! Setting aside some time to give your full attention to a book each day will increase your attention span and your vocabulary, and will make you a stronger writer and a more empathetic human being. The Stuy library is a great place to browse for books; they have an excellent collection.

If you were to change any aspect of the English curriculum, what would you change and why?

Over the last 15 to 20 years, my colleagues and I have been making changes to the English curriculum—we have really diversified the book choices in several courses, including Freshman Composition. We want students to read books that they can see aspects of their own experience in, and classic texts, and books about people who have lives very different from theirs. We’re very grateful to the Parents Association for funding many of our book purchases so that we can bring in a wide variety of books. 

Fun Questions!

What is your favorite book to teach to students?

My all-time favorite book to teach, which I used to teach in American Short Stories and then in Writers’ Workshop, was The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. It is a brilliant book about the Vietnam War that is very much a book about writing, and truth, and love, and the ways that emotional truth and factual truth can diverge. It is a perfect book. 

Do you have any book recommendations?

Babel by R.F. Kuang.

What is your favorite hobby?

I am very politically active, and do a lot of calling and writing to my elected representatives, and voter canvassing. I’ve also been practicing yoga for close to 30 years. 

Any favorite music artists?

Just one? It changes! Ani DiFranco is one of my top favorites.

Are you a night owl or an early bird?

Night owl by temperament, early bird by necessity of having three kids and being a teacher.