American authors are studied in the secondary ELA classroom for their writing style and contributions to literature. 20th Century writer William Faulkner (1897 –1962) is one such author whose short stories (A Rose for Emily, The Bear, Barn Burning) are often anthologized in textbooks. His novels ( As I Lay Dying, Light in August, Absalom, Absalom!)are also featured in classrooms […]
Instruction & Curriculum
Posted inAdult Learning, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion
Why I Thank GOD For Being a TEACHER
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Ko Olina, Hawaii I write these words in the midst of what teachers fantasize about all year: a mid-July Hawaiian vacation with my family. I am currently looking out on a […]
Posted inFormative Assessments, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
Formative Assessment: Setting Clear Objectives
My philosophy in teaching, and in life, is to leave things better than you found them. Each person is placed here for a purpose and a reason. As an educator, it is my role to foster the strengths within each student and help them reach their potential. This task, while difficult, is possible through small […]
Posted inFormative Assessments, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
Through Their Eyes: Gathering Information with Formative Assessment
There is a game called Petals Around the Rose. The object of the game is to figure out the rules of the game. The rules of the game are reflected in the title. I played this game in a class composed of masters level engineer students and classroom teachers. It was interesting to observe the […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Remembering to Find the Good: Meaningful Feedback for Students
We English teachers read hundreds, if not thousands, of papers a year. And, let’s be honest, quite a few of them make us cringe. We see lack of parallel structure, run-ons, awkward phrasing, and semicolon attempts gone horribly awry. We see weak theses, unrelated details, and missing conclusions. We want to scream, “Did she even […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher, Common Core, Instruction & Curriculum, Mathematics
Be Interactive: Twelve Tremendously Helpful AND FREE Math Resources
When you’re teaching any subject, it’s good to have a few tricks in your teaching hat to get your students engaged in learning. When you’re looking for interactive resources, it’s time-consuming work. What if all of your resources were located in the same place? Well, I’m here to provide you with an index of really […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Opinion, School Improvement
Why July is the BEST MONTH to be a Teacher (It’s Not What You Think!)
Oh July! How I love thee! The previous school year is in the rear-view mirror and thankfully getting smaller by the day. The next school year feels far off and gleefully removed; after all, a school year only becomes real when it has long enough tentacles to plant the birth pangs of stress in my […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum
Summer Reading Challenge, Read More Than Books
Change that paradigm! Reading should not be books alone. Summer reading time is my true professional development, experimenting with genres and digital literacy tools set aside during the busier terms of the year. I organize my reading hours similar to the organization of my running workouts. Workouts are separated into distance, easy, tempo, interval, and races while reading is […]