Summer is finally over. Parents are secretly smiling as they shoo their kids out the door, snap a few first day of school photos and sigh. Yes, some of them might shed a few tears over the passage of time and the impending high school graduation – even if it’s still five years away. And some […]
Back to School
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Easing Those First Day Jitters
It is so important to make our students feel comfortable upon the first day of school. We need to remember the backgrounds that our students come from. And we can’t assume that just because we have kids in the middle class that they are coming from homes that have everything together. We also need to […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why You Should Start the Year With A Personal Essay Unit
I love teaching my personal essay unit. I developed most of the classes and exercises way back in 2005, and I have been tweaking them ever since. But I always sandwiched the unit in between two books in the spring or ended up rushing through it so I could finish before some vacation or other. […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
10 Memes for Back to School
Back to school is near and teachers are feeling some type of way. We’re excited about decorating our classrooms and meeting our new students, but being in meeting all day we would rather pass on. Enjoy these memes and tell us what you’re most excited about in your back to school routines. How many times […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Top 5 Things Every Teacher Should Do Before School Starts
Have the teacher dreams started? Does your heart pound when you see the school supply section at Target? While you’re relaxing on the beach, have you defaulted to lesson planning over novels? To help calm your nerves, I’ve compiled notes about five top things every teacher should do before school starts – and guarantee you’ll […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Special Education
The Grieving Year: A Major Professional Error
During the 2014-2015 school year, I landed a brand new job. This teaching gig seemed to be exquisitely designed for me. I had just received my Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing, and I was excited by an opening at my county’s most prestigious arts school. The job ad for a creative writing […]
Posted inUncategorized
"Dear Future Me…"A Great Reflection Assignment for Students
If you are one to focus on the future or the past very much, you may want to know that there’s a website out there called, “Futureme.org.” With this website, you are able to write an e-mail to yourself and send it at a future date in which you wish to receive it. I wrote an e-mail […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Common Core, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Middle School
No More Lectures – Try Back To School Stations Instead
[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”] I’m not a direct instruction kind of teacher. I’ve learned after 25 years of teaching junior high that kids need to be moving, thinking, collaborating and switching activities frequently during a […]