Jan 113 minclassroom managementNew Year, New Habits: Reflecting on ReflectingIt’s a new year and this will be my 100th blog and podcast, so I’ve been thinking about reflection, the mental process of looking back and t
Nov 12, 20213 minclassroom managementWhat If We Treat Students Like Athletes?What if we treated our students like we treat athletes? What if we taught like a coach at halftime? What if we could recreate the same...
Oct 28, 20215 minclassroom managementHow Students Learn: 7 Engagement TechniquesWhen we ask our students to pay attention, we’re competing with five to ten second video clips on television and social media apps...
Oct 19, 20213 minclassroom management5 Easy Ways to Motivate StudentsEvery fall my students seem a little sluggish from the summer. Over the course of a few weeks in September, I see their brains turn on,...
Sep 3, 20214 minclassroom management5 Ways to Establish Great Relationships in Your ClassroomIf you look back on being a student, I’m sure you remember not the specifics of what you learned, but your teachers, the people tasked with
Jul 2, 20213 minclassroom managementThe Keys to Organizing an ELA ClassroomA well-organized classroom reduces stress and helps everyone focus on what’s most important, the literature.
Jun 27, 20213 minclassroom managementThe Path to Easy, Exciting, Excellent TeachingMy school year finished this week, and as I watched my seniors graduate, I felt like we all deserved something special for making it...
May 26, 20213 minclassroom managementNew Year, New IdeasIt’s hard to imagine that anything positive will come out of this year, but I’ve been thinking about what, if any, lessons I’ve learned ...
Apr 15, 20214 minproject-based learning7 Methods to Finish the Year StrongIf you have been teaching remote or hybrid you know that students don’t turn in as much work as they usually do. You’re not alone ...
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 14, 20213 minclassroom managementWhy Do You Want to Be a Teacher?Introduction to Teaching the Magic of Literature: Using Imagination to Shape the Future It was one of the simplest, yet most complicated...
Jan 20, 20214 minclassroom managementWhat Makes a Superteacher?This has been a challenging year for any teacher. Even during a regular year, teachers work hard to meet the many demands and...
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 23, 20206 minpodcasts10 Creative Projects for Remote LearningMy colleagues and I recently had a conversation about the rest of the year and what we could do to keep our students engaged....
Dec 12, 20203 minclassroom management50 Songs to Start ClassThis year, the start of class is that awkward time when we’re saying hello and waiting for everyone to virtually trickle in. When...
Oct 20, 20204 minclassroom management5 Tech Tools for Small Groups and PresentationsUnder normal circumstances, we try to steer kids away from socializing so they can stay on task and so that we can give our assessments and
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.
Oct 2, 20203 minclassroom management5 Goals for Remote or Hybrid TeachingRight now, I’m keeping the focus on learning and not on assessment.
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.
Aug 8, 20203 minclassroom management5 Rules of Thumb for Teaching During a PandemicBut instead of thinking about how sad and unfortunate we all are to be in our positions, I’m trying the best I can to think about how much b
Jun 12, 20202 minclassroom managementThe Value of an End of Year Course EvaluationI strongly believe that authentic narratives from my students are the most useful information to improve myself, more useful than profession
Jun 2, 20204 minprofessional development4 Easy Ways to End Injustice in Education NowChildren don’t compete on a level playing field in our country.
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.