In my junior English class, we move through American literature chronologically. So in the fall we start with some foundational writers —Crevecoeur, de Tocqueville, Douglass — and finish the semester with Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. The second semester starts with Hemingway stories. We read The Great Gatsby and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Interspersed throughout those readings are miscellaneous poems and stories. As we read, we continually hearken back to the earliest writers we encountered. How are the ideas we see expressed now related to those from the past? How are we supposed to live as Americans according to those who came before us? Finally, late into the spring semester, students write a personal narrative in which they develop their own voice for the time and place in which they live today.
English
Through a close reading of culturally sensitive and humanizing literature,
students will develop tolerance and compassion for others. De Smet graduates will be able to think, speak, and write clearly, cogently, and effectively as they enter the world as mature and responsible young men for others. The De Smet Jesuit High School English Department provides a college preparatory curriculum that creates an understanding of the human condition by fostering Ignatian values and ideals through the study of various literary genres.
English Teacher Blog
Cleared of COVID but feeling sick, Mr. Bergman worked from home on January 6, 2021. Two things happened that day.
Robert Bergman '93 invites us to find joy in the memories we hold dear.
"Hope comes in very small doses nowadays, and these little reminders have become all the more important." - Robert Bergman '93 on finding pennies...and picking them up.
"It is a funny feeling to realize how close we all are in reality. I’m only one or two steps away from presidents, titans of industry, poor children, and people who are dying of cancer on a cancer ward." Robert Bergman '93 reflects on how connected we really are.
Building a fort with his children, Robert Bergman '93 reflects on time, traditions, and tranquility.
English teacher Robert Bergman '93 finds consolation in an unexpected connection with a colleague and challenges us to do the same.
Reflecting during Lent can shed light on where we need to plant and where we need to prune.
English teacher Robert Bergman '93 reflects on the unifying power of our personal stories.
A call to connect with one another through times of shared suffering and shared healing...another insightful blog from Robert Bergman, '93.
Robert Bergman ’93 shares how manual labor, the sacrifice of his parents, and a canceled check helped him understand the true worth of his education.
How one teacher manages anxiety after stress landed him in the emergency room.
Top tips and summer picks from avid reader and English teacher Robert Bergman '93
Working in a warehouse and surrounded by cigarette smoke, lifelong learner Robert Bergman '93 finds one of his greatest teachers.
Connecting with Jesus as He overturns tables, English teacher Robert Bergman '93 reminds us to find God in moments of frustration and simplicity.
Sometimes leadership emerges quietly. Former track coach, English teacher, and alumnus Robert Bergman '93 acknowledges the unexpected leaders among us.
De Smet English Club Social Media
English Faculty

Nick Dressler
BA, English, Loyola University-Chicago

Rob Bergman
BA, Education, Rockhurst University
MLA, Language Arts, Washington University

Rob Hutchison
MS, Biology, St. Louis University
BS, Pre-Med, University of Notre Dame

William Manaker
MA, English, Loyola University-Chicago

Mike Russo
BA, English, University of Notre Dame
BA, History, University of Notre Dame

Henry Samson
BA, Education, St. Louis University
BA, English, St. Louis University