Mr. Hudson, as we all know is new to the District. He teaches English and a class called Conflict and                                                                              Literature, which focuses heavily on empathy. Those who have his class, know that he likes to play the                                                                        guitar during class. Here are some things you might not have known about Mr. Hudson.

 

                                                                      How did you come up with your phrases “Wherever you are is where you’re supposed to be?” and “If                                                                              you have words of the paper you are doing it right”?

                                                                      “I know that writing is difficult, a slice of one’s identity on the page. I have to respect that and protect                                                                            that. I mean for those expressions to support writers, to give writers who struggle to get words on the                                                                          page confidence. And we all struggle to put words on the page.”

 

                                                                     What is the tattoo on your forearm of? What does it mean?

“                                                                    My tattoo is an outline of the state of Wisconsin. Inside the outline is a fly (for fishing). Even though I                                                                             have lived most of my life in Illinois now, Wisconsin will always be home. Each spring when school is                                                                           out, I spend a week fly fishing the driftless region of southeast WI with my dad.”

 

                                                                     What was your first day of school (here) like?

                                                                     “While I was nervous my first day, the teachers and students made me feel very welcome.”

 

 

What inspires you to do better?

“My biggest inspiration is probably my friend and mentor Dr. Ralph Cordova. He is a professor at UMSL, and he and I have been working together for nearly ten years now. My students, too, inspire me. I know they deserve the best me they can get.That is a tremendous responsibility.”

 

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

“What a difficult question - I’d like to believe I am sincere, that I care.”

 

What books do you read? Who is your favorite author?

“This summer I read a few books - one about metaphor called I as Other. I also read Neil Gaiman's American Gods. I am currently reading The Parable of the Sower, a book I am considering teaching this semester. It’s hard to pick a favorite.”

 

What is your favorite thing to do with your free time?

“In my free time, I write. I tie flies. I hangout with my daughters.”

 

Fly tying is the process of creating an artificial fly to use for fly fishing. It is the eclipse of fishing and art.

 

Hopefully you learned something you didn’t know before about Mr. Hudson. What a guy...