Michael R. Burns
Teacher Coach Writer Podcast Host
Mike Burns has been teaching and coaching in the Atlanta area for nearly 30 years. He has assisted students who attended colleges all over the world. As a member of the Marist School English Department since 1999, Mike encourages students to think and write critically. One of the most fulfilling aspects of his career is the many relationships he develops with students and their families. Long after the days in the classroom and the competitions on the athletic fields have passed, Mike considers many of these people friends and colleagues.
Mike is a graduate of Furman University, with a Masters Degree in Teaching English from Agnes Scott College. Mike enjoys travel, reading, gardening, and music. As an avid cyclist, Mike is always up for adventure, especially if it involves the mountains (and if the mountains are in Spain, even better!). Read on for a bit more information about Mike's teaching and coaching experience.
Co-creator of the Marist School Honors Class, American Experiment, which combines American Literature with US History. The interdisciplinary year-long course explores the question, "What is America?" through film, literature, music, art, history, and culture.
Co-Host of Required Reading Podcast click here to learn more
Marist School English Department Chair, 2008-2017
2009 MacGinittie Award for Innovation in Teaching, Marist School, Atlanta
Loridans Fellow, Marist School, Atlanta
2019 Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage in Spain
AP Literature College Board Exam Reader: 9 years
Three-time recipient of National Endowment for the Humanities Grants (Poetry Concentration, DePaul University, Chicago; Mark Twain Studies, Hartford, Connecticut; and Crafting Freedom, Durham, North Carolina)
Creator of Elective, Slavery in America, Marist School
Phillips Exeter Humanities Institute, focusing on the Harkness Approach of Shared Inquiry in Student-Led Discussions
2003 Georgia High School Tennis Coach of the Year, Georgia Chapter of the United States Tennis Association
Coached 18 State Championship Teams: Marist School Varsity Boys Tennis, Middle School and Varsity Cross Country
Marist Organic Garden Creator and Co-Moderator
Four-time Attendee of the Key West Literary Seminar
1994 Summit on Mt. Ranier