The first week of school can be a planning nightmare. You have new students to meet, school protocol to follow, and important lessons you need to get in. I know the challenge because I lived it. It's taken me ten years, but going into year 11, I finally have a winning first week full of engaging ...
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How to Teach Poetic Analysis With Success
How many times have been you met with blank or fearful stares as you ask your students, “So, what do you think this poem is about?” Unfortunately, I can tell you I’ve experienced this phenomenon far too many times to count. Teaching poetic analysis simply put is hard. How can we expect our students ...
How to Create an Effective To-Do List
Background How often do you feel the "Sunday scaries"? You know that feeling that starts creeping in around midday every Sunday that's followed by all out panic by Sunday night? That's the Sunday scaries. For me, the Sunday scaries came on because it meant another week was about to start with ...
A Real Solution to Deal with Cell Phones in the Classroom
If you're like me, you hate dealing with the distraction of cell phones in your classroom. You'd rather be spending your energy on your lessons and activities than worrying if students are misusing them in your classroom. Still, whether we like it or not, the reality is that cell phones are in ...
How and Why to Teach Literary Theory in Secondary ELA
I have been passionate about literary theory since I took a literary theory class class as an undergrad. It truly was an awakening for me. As a high school teacher, I knew I wanted my students to have the same experience that I did. Literary theory, also known as critical lenses, can ...
How to Teach Shakespeare with Success
Last week, I attended a county-wide Edcamp, and I had the opportunity to meet with English teachers from all of the school districts in our county. Not surprisingly, one of the major topics of concern was the challenge of teaching Shakespeare, and I get it. Like many teachers, I struggled to get my ...
