There have been countless discussions launched about the need to teach the historically accepted literary pieces included in the canon. Just as controversial as the discussions engendered about the canon, so too is the definition. The “canon” is defined by dictionary.com as “a collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine.” The very definition […]
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Posted inFeatured
Keeping Your Teaching Credentials Fresh and Current
Have you left the teaching or education world, either by resigning or by taking a leave of absence? Are you looking for flexible and creative ways to grow as an educator? As a professional in the field of education, I have taken a leave of absence three times and resigned from two positions over the […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School
Using Booktalks to Create a Community of Readers
Throughout my teaching career, I have used booktalks on a regular basis to motivate, inspire, and share quality literature with students. With middle school students, the booktalk can be an effective tool to hook reluctant readers and is an important component of independent reading time and/or a Reader’s Workshop. In short, a booktalk is a […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Creating Lovers of Reading: Tips for Using a Self-Selected Reading System in Your Classroom
Students come to us with reading levels all over the spectrum. As a new teacher, one of the biggest challenges in my heterogeneous classes was assigning and monitoring their reading. While challenging students with complex texts is not only important but required, it is still essential that our students read and read and read even […]
Posted inEnglish Language Learners
How to Navigate Censorship in a High School English Classroom
At a faculty meeting, a colleague once whispered to me, “So, what do you actually do in your English class if everyone already knows how to read and write?” Though it was an innocent enough question from a chemistry teacher, it brought me to the halting realization that the abstract nature of a high school […]
Posted inAdult Learning
Teaching Hacks for Teachers with ADHD
People with ADHD are notorious for bad memories, object permanence issues, executive functioning failures, hyper-fixations, and more. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, for adults with ADHD, “daily tasks such as getting up in the morning, preparing to leave the house for work, arriving at work on time, and being productive on the […]
Posted inBack to School
Middle School Summer Reading List
As educators, we are responsible for cultivating an inclusive learning environment that values and celebrates diversity. One powerful way to achieve this is by providing students with a diverse reading list that exposes them to different cultures, experiences, and perspectives. Here is a reading list specifically curated for your middle school summer reading list. Each […]
Posted inLiteracy
Eleventh-Grade Summer Reading List for Students
As educators, we are responsible for cultivating an inclusive learning environment that values and celebrates diversity. One powerful way to achieve this is by providing students with a diverse reading list that exposes them to different cultures, experiences, and perspectives. Here is a reading list specifically curated for your eleventh-grade summer reading list. Each book […]