Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy

Using Reader’s Notebooks in Middle School

I’ve been approached by many teachers who ask me, if you don’t use reading logs to monitor how much your students are reading, what do you use? [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”][bctt tweet=”I’ve been approached by […]

Posted inFeatured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, Series

Close and Critical Reading: What’s the Point?

This is the fourth post in a series about teaching Close and Critical Reading. The first post explaining what CCR is can be found here, the second on summary is here, and the third on writer’s craft is here. The third portion of Close and Critical Reading (CCR) asks the students: Why did the author write this?  […]

Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, High School, Instruction & Curriculum

High School Students and Common Core

Common Core has been a controversial topic in education since it was first mentioned in 2012, then fully implemented in 2013, despite plans for a two-year transition. Personally, I have no problem with it. Standards are standards after all and it puts all the states on an equal playing field. One of my students arrived […]

Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy, Middle School, Technology

Using Technology in the English/Language Arts Classroom for "Sophisticated Responses"

The headline in The New York Times (6/13/2013) was a little misleading: “Study Gauges Value of Technology in Schools.”  The topic of gauging the value of technology is particularly significant given the investment by school districts everywhere in laptops, tablets, computer labs, Smartboards, whiteboards and projectors; but the article only referred to the use of technology in math […]