My answer to the question "What are we doing today?"
This reflection is in response to the article "Some Rules We Need to Break in Our Reading Classrooms" by Pernille Ripp, reposted by Cult of Pedagogy When I introduced the Million Word Challenge to my students, I told them that all I wanted was their word count- no projects, no summaries, not a traditional reading log,… Continue reading Breaking the “Reading Rules”
Today, I got to hang out with author Doug Wilhelm at the FRA convention! Wilhelm is one of my favorite young adult writers. (I have taught his book The Revealers twice to 6th graders.) His talk at the FRA convention was all about how middle school students struggle to find their voice, asking "who am… Continue reading Doug Wilhelm: Young Adult Author
The home/work life balance is easier to manage when your workplace feels like home. This picture of ISL's MS building was snapped as I left school on this beautiful evening. In many ways, ISL saved my teaching career. Just a few years ago, I was drowning in a stifling work environment that was about as opposite… Continue reading Home
Kindle (verb): to light a fire; to inspire. This candle in my room is for Mr. Hiskes; my AP English teacher and the originator of my weekly Word Wednesday assignment (where my students teach each other vocabulary instead of me.) Only, he had a real candle and mine is fake.... But thanks to him, my love for… Continue reading Kindle
My picture today is of a different stack of books: every single one of my Norton anthologies from college. Like silent sentinels, they have been in my classroom every single year. In Michigan, teachers are required to have a Bachelor's and minor in order to be certified in a subject. So, these anthologies represent my… Continue reading Norton Anthologies
Today's teaching picture: Even though I haven't taught some of these novels in years, I still like to keep them around--like they're old friends. I've learned that you don't really know a book until you've taught it. When you spend that much time with a book, you find that it develops a personality and evolves… Continue reading You don’t really know a book until you’ve taught it.
October is a notoriously difficult time for me. So, this month, I want to focus on the small things that I love about teaching and on the people who have shaped my career in different ways. This year, I am blessed with first period planning. It was as if the stars aligned, because I… Continue reading October Reflection Challenge
To all those who teach writing-- Encourage creativity, but teach the rules of the game. Be steadfast in corrections of commonly confused words: If they're going to be taken seriously out there, choosing their words carefully matters. Teach them that form speaks, too. Make them notice that a complex sentence tells about a relationship between… Continue reading To all those who teach writing–
Don't get me wrong, I love a good dystopian novel. My students love them. I love that I get to teach about dystopias! But before we get to the worlds-gone-wrong, I like to challenge my students on their preconceived notions on what makes a "perfect society." So, we study what a utopia is first. I start out… Continue reading Welcome to Utopia!
Years ago, I wanted to write my AP English essay about Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but didn't have a copy of the book. My teacher gave me his copy by crossing out his name and writing mine. Even though it has fallen apart into two, that book remains on my shelf as a cherished possession.… Continue reading The Gift of Reading
All Kinds of Learning Adventures 