The use of sports in the classroom is a great way to engage young people in learning! One of my favorite days of the year is baseball’s Opening Day. I use the opportunity to...
This school year, I did something different in my tenth grade classroom. Rather than repetitively stating classroom routines and procedures during the first two weeks, I...
Helping your students learn to write clear, concise sentences using fewer words is an important part of grammar instruction! Wordiness not only obscures ideas, but causes...
I teach an elective class, which content purposefully and intentionally prepares low-income or at-risk students for college. High school students are being asked in many ways...
Making grammar exciting for students is rewarding and challenging at the same time. Whenever the opportunity arises, I like to add tangible and relatable elements to grammar...
Poetry is my favorite genre. Whether it’s to read it, write it, or share it, poetry has a special role in many peoples’ lives. Poems often have a mystical effect on the...
Teaching both tenth and twelfth grade presents its rewards and challenges. It is rewarding because I get to see so much growth and maturity in twelfth graders. It can be...
Students love stories. Whether they are telling a story or they are listening to a story, students become engaged with the plot line and interested in the characters....
It’s that time of year when the weeks are long, the days are colder (especially if you live where I live), and the students are in their school routine. That routine is great...
I love sticky notes. If you were to look at my desk or at my planner or at my laptop lid, you would see sticky notes filled with information. A reminder to talk to a teacher....
The first week of school is a great time for students to give you some key information about themselves. On the first day, do something to make your class different (see my ...
My mom likes to tell a story about her high school English teacher, who carried a ruler and rapped students’ knuckles when they struggled with grammar exercises. Instruction...