Deciding to teach Trevor Noah's Born a Crime to sophomore students several years ago was one of the BEST shifts for …
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 …
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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 …
Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in English Language Arts ClassroomsRead More
Open Ended Questions That Work
We’ve all been there: It’s Monday morning. Students drift into the room, a fog floating behind their eyes as the early …
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 CanI can’t do it. I’m an immovable object, unable to …
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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 …
10 Reasons to Try Round Table Discussions
Round table discussions can be a powerful tool for teachers and students alike. They allow all participants to share …
The Best Questions for Book Discussion
Questions for book discussion were a pain point in my pedagogy for years. I struggled to strike a balance between …
Secrets to Literature Lenses for Textual Analysis
We all want our English students to have deeper, more meaningful discussions about their reading, and literature lenses …
Why Roles in Literature Circles Miss the Mark
Roles in literature circles have been around since I was in school. They're as dependable as the tears that come at the …
Upgrade Harkness Discussion with Equity Maps
Because I value student-led learning, I am always trying to find ways to involve students in discussions. I love using …
31 Engaging Poems for High School English Class
As an English teacher, I know the feeling of trying to find poems for high school English classes that engage students …