Clearly, it is time to stop doing what we have always done with our middle and high school students while expecting different results. (continue reading)
If you, like me, suffer from bouts of the Blahs, I encourage you to develop your own plan too. To take care of our students, to do our part in ensuring Leticia and other young people like her don’t fall into the Abyss, we must first stay clear of it ourselves. (continue reading)
Last fall, I wrote about the Blahs, a predictable time of year when I struggle with energy, motivation, and self-doubt. A friend pointed out that our students battle their own Blahs as well. (continue reading)
In this video, Amy VanDerwater explains that if we are able to harness a love of poetry and use it as a way to demonstrate writing techniques across genres, students gain a better understanding of writing overall. (continue reading)
if you have a good readers workshop going in your classroom I give you a hi-five and say keep it up! There are, though, a few caveats that might cause you to consider the whole class novel approach... (continue reading)
Poetry is something that is happening now, everywhere, and we need to bring it into the classroom. In Poems Are Teachers, Amy introduces the skills and techniques involved in writing a poem and how it connects to writing across all genres. (continue reading)
It may seem strange to think about cultivating focus. Although natural abilities can vary, focus can be improved, cultivated, and taught. (continue reading)
Readers who read strictly for plot nearly always remain stuck in literal interpretations of text, and typically struggle with more complex reading skills. (continue reading)
