Learn from a veteran, NBCT English teacher how to grade less, not more so that you don’t become a workaholic zombie.
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Read my latest tips, tricks, and musings below.
Figurative Language Examples We Can All Learn From
Kids say the darndest things–often because their speech is littered with figurative language examples. “I could eat 1,000 burgers I’m so hungry!” “Your hair looks like a chicken sat on…
18 Ways to Encourage Growth Mindset Versus Fixed Mindset in High School Classrooms
A Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: Moving from I Can’t to I Can I can’t do it. I’m an immovable object, unable to get unstuck. There’s no hope. My world…
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10 Song Analysis Lessons for Teachers
One of the positive shifts that happened as a result of PARCC becoming a short-lived focus in my district and state was that attention shifted to paired text analysis of…
10 Tips for Making the Most of Blended Learning
Of course, the best thing about education, whether we are talking about blended learning or the opposite of it (chunky learning, perhaps?), is that every day is predictable. Each student,…
10 Tips for Effective Classroom Technology Integration in the English Language Arts Classroom
For this blog on classroom technology and integrating technology in the classroom, I am writing on a laptop, using a Google Doc, while Alexa streams music, my iPhone buzzes with…
Must-Have Table Topics Conversation Starters
It’s almost the start of another school year. Time to dust off the table topics, conversation starters, and ice breaker activities or ask Google for some new ones, right? Sure,…
Warning: These 9 Mistakes Will Destroy Your MTSS
Education is full of acronyms–PLC, SIP, CEU, SPED, RTI, etc.–and here’s one more for the list: MTSS. Is MTSS just another acronym in education to be name-checked in the name…
The Writing Process Explained: From Outline to Final Draft
Writing is a messy process. Rarely do writers pick up their pen or open a fresh Google Doc and write everything start to finish. To take the genesis of an…
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What Are Authentic Assessments?
What Are Authentic Assessments? Is it authentic to have a student deliver a persuasive speech about climate change to an audience of teenagers, not policymakers? Is it authentic to have…
The Art of Storytelling: Techniques for Writing Engaging Narratives
Neuroscience shows us that our brains are naturally designed for writing narratives. We can see narratives being told as far back as our cave dwelling ancestors who told the story…
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Writing Topics for Student Writer’s Block
When presenting students with writing topics or writing prompts in the classroom, I hear students remark, “I’ve got writer’s block!” Usually this comes as they scroll through TikTok, text their…
The Art of Argumentation: How to Write a Convincing Argumentative Essay
Arguably, everything we ask students to do in the classroom–even beyond argumentative essay and persuasive writing–touches on argumentation in some way. Compose a speech. Sure, I propose we legalize ____. …
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Effective Teaching Resources & Strategies For English Teachers
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