I have taught the most driven, elite-college bound students, and I have taught students who barely squeaked through their graduation requirements. I have taught students for whom English was their favorite class of the day, and I have taught students who let out a big sigh every day when they walked through the door. I […]
writing
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
How Do I Teach My Students To Write Better?
I know that the thought of teaching students how to write seems so daunting. But it’s simple—you just teach them to think. If I can engage my students, get them writing about a new idea or an idea that they care about or an idea that they don’t quite understand but want to—then usually, […]
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 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 inLiteracy
Skilled Writers Get Editors: Student Writers Get ________?
On occasion, I hear a statement that captures how much the classroom differs from the real world. Such was the case at the International Reading Association Conference in Boston (July 9-11, 2016) when literacy consultant Mark Overmeyer noted that in the real world: “Our most skilled writers have editors…the more skilled the writer, the more editors” […]
Posted inHigh School, Literacy, Special Education
Dewey in 2016: Still Relevant?
When I was pursuing my master’s in education, I spent a great deal of time examining the philosophies of various critical theorists. Vygotsky, Piaget, Freire, Montessori, Gardner, Pestalozzi and a whole host of other big educational names became part of my courses of study. Knowing these philosophers and their perspectives even helped me pass Florida’s […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Mollie’s Story: Not a Disability But an Ability
Mollie’s Story I met Anna, Mollie’s mom through politics. She and I began having small Facebook conversations about state-wide issues, despite her living in California and me living in Wisconsin. When she found out I was special education teacher, we bonded in yet another way. Her daughter was diagnosed with learning disabilities in reading so […]
Posted inFeatured
Using Open Classes in OUR Classrooms
I love to learn. I would be the person in college for the rest of my life if I could fit it in with everything else I do. So when I came across Harvard’s open classes, I was in heaven. Several universities, many Ivy League, offer open classes that are free online and can be […]