Aug 04
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is a text frequently read in middle school about a 16-year-old boy on trial and facing a life sentence. Because it has a Lexile score of 670L, students at the middle school level can read the text. This actually makes it perfect for my special education students (and sometimes standard …
Jul 22
Coteaching is still a relatively new concept for some schools and most parents. In fact, most parents never had coteachers themselves; it can be difficult for them to grasp when they haven’t seen it for themselves. That’s why I send a letter home each year introducing myself and my coteacher to the parents and guardians. …
Jul 11
As a teacher, I see and hear a lot about students who are affected by online bullying and social media shaming. The students are both victims and perpetrators depending on the day. But how can teachers help break this vicious cycle? Starting the Conversation I wish I had the time and resources to pull a …
Jun 18
*UPDATE: A new interview between Winona Ryder and Tavi Gevinson (Mary Warren in the Broadway revival) added to the section on The Crucible! American literature loves a good female villain. A woman who is too sexual, jealous, emotional, or ignorant. But isn’t there more to this stereotypical female villain? As an extension to the classics we …
Jun 11
*The list keeps growing – there are six now! Ted Talks are increasingly popular with educators for use with the faculty as well as the students. However, it can be tricky to find just the right talk for the occasion since there are so many available. There’s also the problem of occasional profanity or inappropriate …
Jun 08
A good character map can determine whether or not a student “gets” a story. I have some students who are unable to picture a story in their head. Imagine trying to keep track of half a dozen characters and you can’t picture what they look like or visualize what they are doing. Some students are …
Jun 05
1. Students have something to do in case they finish their work early. Students work at different paces. Often I have a few who finish with five, even ten minutes to spare. With the writing contest bulletin board you always have something extra and meaningful for them to work on. Teachers can post flyers for …
Jun 04
Reading “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl always leads to lively discussions in the classroom about the culpability of Mary Maloney. So of course I’m compelled to create a lesson where students battle out her guilt or innocence “Law and Order” style. The Perfect Episode You can’t just ask students to imitate “Law and …
May 30
It’s true co-teaching is not for everyone. Sometimes, it’s a lot of extra work, and sometimes you get stuck with someone who has a different style or personality that doesn’t match well with yours. But then sometimes, all the planets align perfectly and it’s teaching heaven. Here’s my list of reasons I love (most of) …
May 26
Most people feel they are not appreciated, and plenty of students need help remembering to thank those who are putting in the extra time and effort to help them succeed. Setting up an appreciation station at your school is the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone. We’re also using it as part …
