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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Most Recent Posts
Read my latest tips, tricks, and musings below.
Exit Ticket Ideas and Strategies for Engaged Classrooms
Ending your lesson with intention can make all the difference. When students are given the chance to reflect on their learning, ask questions, and show what they understand, they’re empowered.…
Exit Ticket Ideas and Strategies for Engaged ClassroomsRead More
AI & Authentic Assessment: Beyond Cheating to Deeper Learning
AI in the classroom is rapidly changing the education landscape. It feels like new AI tools appear almost daily, and schools are shifting from trying to ban them to figuring…
AI & Authentic Assessment: Beyond Cheating to Deeper LearningRead More
Encouraging Growth Mindset in Students: Strategies and Examples for Teachers
Helping students develop a growth mindset can spark transformation far beyond grades and test scores. When students learn to see effort, mistakes, and perseverance as essential to growth, everyday classroom…
Encouraging Growth Mindset in Students: Strategies and Examples for TeachersRead More
Critical Thinking Skills in ELA Classrooms
Seems these days we are spending a lot of time and resources developing artificial intelligence, paying less attention to our own intelligence, to help us in our daily lives. Unsure…
210 Fun Debate Prompts & Essay Topics That are Argumentative
Argumentation and persuasion. The art of rhetoric is about helping students think critically and communicate effectively. Students don’t usually need help forming opinions. They come to us fully-loaded with opinions…
210 Fun Debate Prompts & Essay Topics That are ArgumentativeRead More
Unlock Creativity: 23 Ideas for Teaching Poetry
Sometimes inspiration for writing poetry comes easily, as easy as remembering a favorite memory or looking out the window. Aaaaand sometimes when you’re teaching poetry to middle or high school…
Refresh Grammar Instruction in Middle School & High School
Many teachers find that their grammar instruction includes piecing together grammar lessons and resources. Grammar may be under-emphasized (who has the time!?) or over-emphasized (marking EVERY error in student papers…
Refresh Grammar Instruction in Middle School & High SchoolRead More
Steal My Born a Crime Teaching Ideas
Deciding to teach Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime to sophomore students several years ago was one of the BEST shifts for student engagement. Students, on semester exit surveys, regularly comment…
10 Simple Ways to Streamline Teacher Planning
It’s no secret that creating lesson plans and engaging activities for students is a time consuming and occasionally daunting task. You can spend hours upon hours trying to organize everything,…
100 Fun Getting to Know you Questions for Back to School (or anytime)
When it’s time for a brand new school year, you know what that means: starting fresh and learning about a whole different set of students. Of course it takes time…
100 Fun Getting to Know you Questions for Back to School (or anytime)Read More
11 Active Learning Strategies for Reading Fiction
When administrators leave their offices and conduct walk-throughs, they look for evidence of active learning. When we communicate home to parents that we want students to “participate more” or be…
Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in English Language Arts Classrooms
Seems these days we are spending a lot of time and resources developing artificial intelligence, paying less attention to our own intelligence, to help us in our daily lives. Unsure…
Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in English Language Arts ClassroomsRead More
Effective Teaching Resources & Strategies For English Teachers
This isn’t your average English teacher blog! My passion is helping creative teacher-learners build culture and community in their classrooms by designing student-centered learning resources and innovative, inspiring content.
“I want you to feel empowered and inspired to do what you do best…just teach!”
Products That Set You Free To Teach
Embrace creativity and create thinkers.
Engaging learner-centered resources for grades 6 to 12.
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