When Dr. Elsie Burnett calls herself an old-fashioned English teacher, it’s a good thing. A disciplined grammarian who loves language, she is committed to helping her students improve their lives, one sentence at a time.

“Language is important because it’s how we function and communicate with each other,” she says. “We need a good command of the English language for everything that we do to be successful in college and in any career we choose.”

Dr. Burnett, who wanted to become an English teacher since she was in high school, holds a doctorate in English from TWU, a Master of Education from ETSU and a Bachelor of Science in education from Bishop College. After teaching high school English for three years in the DISD and RISD, she served as an English professor at Bishop College for 17 years before moving to Cedar Valley College in 1988. Today, she coordinates the college’s developmental writing program and also teaches classes in American and British literature.

To Dr. Burnett, speaking well and writing well are critical life skills. “An understanding of the English language is fundamental to education,” she stresses. “I want to help my students use language in any setting, so they won’t be held back by the fear of not speaking or writing correctly.”

Though she has taught English at several educational levels, she has found her professional home in the community college classroom. “I teach at the community college level because I find it rewarding to work so closely with the students,” she says. “I like the small classes and the interaction possible between students and teachers.”

For Dr. Burnett, teaching English is not so much a profession as it is a dedicated mission. “Teaching English helps me to help my students improve the quality of their lives, in terms of their social lives, their careers and their self-esteem,” she says. “Language impacts our communication.”

For Dr. Elsie Burnett, it all began here.