Find Your Own Voice

Buried somewhere beneath a desk heaping with volumes of Hemingway, Dickinson, Frost and Whitman, the English instructor can be found working on his computer. He is Michael Latza, and he is wholeheartedly devoted to seeing his students enjoy the art of writing.

Do you remember the grammar assignments in school where you were supposed to use a smattering of your vocabulary words within a story? Most people would rather forget such tasks, but Latza adored those assignments and even took them one step further.

"I would use the words in the first paragraph and then take another two pages to finish the story," he said.

Latza attended Loyala University of Chicago where he earned a Bachelor's degree in English. "I originally began my college career as a Bio Pre-Med major, but quickly realized that I was spending all of my time on my English classes," Latza said, "so I decided to change my major. I have never regretted it. Do what you love."

Latza then worked toward a Master's degree from the same university while carrying mail in both Grayslake and Chicago. After receiving his Master's in English, Latza began teaching English classes at the College of Lake County before he was hired as a full-time instructor in 2002.

"CLC is one of the best places I have ever worked," Latza said. He said there is mutual respect and support for the teachers at CLC. "I appreciate the opportunity to share my love of writing and literature with the students here, as well as other initiatives which I am involved in."

One of these initiatives is editing the CLC creative writing journal, Willow Review. Anyone can submit poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction pieces to the Review. People from all over the country and world submit their writing every year.

Latza also co-leads a two-week hiking trip to the Appalachian Trail with Biology teachers Bob Remedi and Shane Jones. Students can earn up to seven credit hours in environmental biology, creative writing and physical education.

"But the best lesson they end up learning," said Latza, "is who they are and what their place is in this world."

The study abroad exchange program at CLC offered Latza the chance to be the inaugural lead instructor for four months in 2008. He and 20 students traveled to Xi'an International University, in Xi'an, China for the fall semester. The students took four courses, and Latza taught Early American Literature and Introduction to Poetry. Latza said they were able to visit many cultural sites and tour Beijing and Shanghai.

"The experience changed our lives!" Latza said. "All of the students who went are now well acquainted with Chinese culture and would be able to work and live in China with ease." The students were able to form life-long friendships and associations.

A normal semester at CLC includes several English classes for Latza. This fall he is teaching two Composition classes, one Creative Writing Class and one Intro to Poetry class. Next semester, Latza will instruct one Composition class, one Early American Literature class, one Creative Writing I class and one Creative Writing II specializing in poetry class.

Even if writing intimidates a student, Latza can help him or her learn how to have confidence in putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. "You write all the time!" he said. "You may not call it that. You may call it daydreaming, texting, storytelling, gossiping, letter writing, emailing, chatting… But the same dynamics are involved."

The trick is to harness what you do for different purposes and varying audiences, Latza said. He explained that writing should be fun and that a student should read the sort of material he or she desires to write. "Once you familiarize yourself with a genre or approach, then you can emulate it and find your own voice."

Find your own voice. After all, if a mailman can find his, anyone can.

If you are interested in submitting your original writing to the Willow Review or signing up for the Spring 2011 Appalachian Trail trip, you can call Mike Latza at 847-543-2965 or email him at mlatza@clcillinois.edu.

And, PS, for those students in any Latza's classes who find themselves at a loss when faced with research projects, this quote may be helpful to you. "Research isn't neat and clean—research is dirty!"