Feb 174 minnovelsWhole-Novel ActivitiesEarly in my career, I remember rolling through a novel chapter by chapter with PowerPoint slides and handouts. It always drove me crazy ...
Apr 30, 20213 minnovelsLGBTQ+ Literature: Opening Up LanguageAbout five years ago, I read an article by a high school student about the way to create a LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum...
Mar 12, 20217 minnovelsMeaning-Making in the Secondary ELA ClassroomIt’s easy to say to our students that literature should be meaningful. It’s easy to ask students … what does that line mean?
Feb 19, 20213 minnovelsMagical Realism: Interpretation and CreationMagical realism goes beyond the place that a metaphor takes us. It goes beyond the realm of comparison.
Jan 11, 20213 minnovelsTeaching the Novel in a Remote or Hybrid ClassroomI’m trying to get as creative as possible when it comes to being flexible with students. After finishing a few units ...
Dec 8, 20202 minproject-based learningRethinking ResearchI attended the virtual NCTE conference this past Friday and it got me thinking about the research paper, or really, rethinking it. Part...
Oct 8, 20203 minclassroom managementHomework: Putting Home and Work TogetherWe need to think about what we’re asking students when we ask them to do homework.
Sep 6, 20202 minnovelsHow to Introduce the Value of Literature: Symbolism Show and TellThe good thing is, this year, our students will be thirsty to know more about the world they live in.
May 12, 20204 minnovels4 Ways to Simplify Teaching English Language ArtsThis is the hardest thing for any teacher. Take a very difficult and complicated topic and make it easy to understand.
May 5, 20205 minnovelsThe 4 Essentials of Reading Checks and Note-takingIf we want students to be lifelong learners and readers, we need to make reading as fun and painless as possible.
Feb 25, 20202 minnovelsLiterature, A Living MapFaulkner heard stories from his family and then created a novel, a living map, from those stories.
Feb 21, 20206 minnovelsVirginia Woolf, Wordsmith of the UniverseWhy do I think Virginia Woolf is the greatest writer of all time? There are so many reasons.
Jan 22, 20203 minnovelsOpening the UnconsciousEvery great piece of literature explores the inner workings of what the character doesn’t consciously know about their own desires and fears
Jan 11, 20204 minnovelsJane Austen and The Bachelor ust as Austen imagined a world of romance determined by “age, character, and condition”, The Bachelor asks the same questions. It captures a
Dec 28, 20194 minnovelsA Novel Way to Teach the NovelEvery English teacher works tirelessly to instill a love of reading in their students. We convince them that literature matters.
Dec 20, 20193 minpodcastsWhy is Hamlet Great?We’re wrapping up Hamlet this week, and it never ceases to amaze me how it stays relevant year after year.
Nov 21, 20192 minnovelsBoundless Questions, Perpetual QuestionsI often think about the importance of asking good, quality questions in class.
Oct 22, 20193 minnovelsSymbolism in Life and LiteratureOn the first day of class this year, I placed a rock on a desk in the middle of my classroom.
Oct 10, 20193 minnovelsLiterature and Free WillMy students, like many people, take free will for granted.