Most days in the classroom feel like it’s full steam ahead. It can be difficult for students to keep up with the work especially if they miss a day because they are sick, have extracurricular activities like sports or concerts, or field trips.

Students often prefer creative writing over analytical writing. When students imagine a story, they still demonstrate their understanding of the characters and events. Instead of focusing on the events in a story, they can write freely about their own version of events.

Simply handing back an essay with commentary and feedback is just one thing a teacher can do to help a student improve their writing.

Essential questions require opening up the discussion to include current events, history, or ideas.

One-pagers and sketchnotes give students the opportunity to creatively express their interpretation of a novel.