Escape Rooms – An Interview with Danielle Hall
Danielle Hall has adapted the concept of escape rooms to the study of literature. This is my interview with her.
Here’s To Practicing Public Speaking With Toasts
Toasts are a great way for students to practice their public speaking skills. And who knows? They may actually get to use their toast someday!
5 Reasons You Should Be Teaching More Poetry
I’m frequently asked by other people what books I teach. No one ever asks what poems I teach. There’s no question that language arts curriculum centers around novels and our classroom can get pretty novel heavy if we’re not careful. We all know about the need for non-fiction. But
Silent Discussions in the Classroom
We all know the benefits of discussion in the classroom whether it be teacher-led, Socratic, or any of the other effective strategies for getting kids talking. However, silent discussions can also be a powerful tool for active reading and learning. Silent discussions work well because: All students participate. Classroom discussions
Using Sketchnotes With Novels and Plays
What are sketchnotes? Sketchnotes are becoming an increasingly popular way for students to take notes for lectures. However, there is much value to be gained from using them along with – or instead of – traditional methods like Cornell notes and annotation. Studies have shown that engaging the visual
Say NO To Stick Figures In Student Projects
Tired of seeing stick figures in your student projects? Here’s a guide to how you can draw better people.
Writing Rubrics That Give You Back Your Weekends
The best rubrics save teachers time and give students that feedback they need to do better on the next assignment. Here’s how to create them.
Annotation Games
Many students find annotation a chore. They do it for the teacher and not for their own benefit. They claim annotating makes them hate reading. I understand where they’re coming from. Annotation is difficult. It slows down the reading process. However, we can’t build active readers without it. We want
Building Better Topic Sentences
My students struggle with topic sentences. It’s something we always want to get better at because nothing improves their writing faster than crafting topic sentences that guide the reader through their writing. Students typically have one of the following problems with their topic sentences when writing about literature. They don’t
