I make it a priority to integrate vocabulary into every aspect of my English class. I really enjoy having students use their vocabulary to discuss the text(s) we are studying...
I will never forget driving to my SAT exam early one Saturday morning; I had the radio blaring classical music while I crunched peppermints and double-checked my supply of...
The Earth Day Vocabulary Activity is a great way to connect vocabulary instruction, art, and the environment. HOW THE EARTH DAY VOCABULARY ACTIVITY WORKS With my printable...
Many of us struggle to balance our personal and professional lives, and I found that for me it only got harder once I had children. I knew I was going to have to loosen my...
Most days we start class by reading independently for five minutes before reviewing the vocabulary words of the day. Often, students will excitedly share when they read a...
I find that thanking the school staff who often get overlooked, is one of the best ways to show appreciation. However, it can be a tricky and costly venture, so here is a...
It’s so easy to put ourselves down and give up when challenges arise; I know, I sometimes feel defeated by the innumerable ways that I could be a better teacher, librarian,...
One of my favorite parts of being an English teacher/librarian is going to conferences and meeting authors. Over the years, I have honed my “author meeting techniques” so I...
If you read last week’s post, you know that your vocabulary instruction is most critical to your students’ success on high-stakes testing. Unfamiliar high stakes assessment...
High-stakes standardized testing is not going away. With the newly redesigned SAT® and the fact that many states’ are focusing on both the ACT® and SAT® as a part of high...
Now that we've all gotten through the crazy back-to-school season and have established our classroom routines, I thought I'd take the opportunity to discuss differentiated...
At the beginning of each school year, it is critical to set instructional goals and objectives for our classes. These goals need to work for ourselves, for our students, for...