Dean Ford’s Biography
Coming from a line of educators (Uncle Morris was a professor at W.I.U. , Aunt Alice was a professor at W.I.U., and my mother was a grade school teacher for 33 years at Lewistown, Illinois, plus my older sister and her husband were high school teachers in Petersburg and Athens, Illinois), I, of course, started teaching high schools in Kansas in 1974. After earning my B.S. degree from the University of Kansas in both English education and journalism, I went on to work as a high school teacher, a newspaper reporter, a copywriter, a caseworker, and an educational coordinator.
In 1980 I received a M.A. degree in English at Western Illinois University, where I actually began my college education in 1969. I then taught 2 years in the Chicago suburbs, worked 8 years in the Fulton County Regional Schools Office, and taught 2 more years in Canton, Illinois.
When my wife came to teach at John A. Logan College, I became a term instructor in English in beautiful Southern Illinois. I have also taught at Shawnee Communit y College. After going to Southern Illinois University, where I completed coursework for a doctorate in English, I have turned my full attention toward teaching at John A. Logan College.
Currently, I am teaching Composition 101 and 102. I have also taught English 113, 052, and 053. My major areas of study are Composition, Medieval Literature, English Literature, and Early American Literature.
My children are Alexander, who is currently at the University of Illinois in a physics program, and Michelle, who is at Murray State University in a music and theater program. I enjoy tennis and golf, and I am always up for a good book or any artistic program, such as music, dance, theater, painting, or sculpture.
Teaching Area/Focus/Courses
- ENG 101 - Composition I
- ENG 102 - Composition II
- ENG 113 - Technical Writing
Other
- Writing Center “Coach”