I’ve been thinking about hope lately. It’s winter here in New York City. There are certain things about the season here that feel hopeful: the smell of Christmas trees on some street corners where lots have popped up, the twinkle of lights along the railings of brownstones, and even some of the neighborhood dogs have […]
Source As this year draws to a close, taking time to reflect is natural. As teachers, reflecting is just as important for our students, as it is for us. However, I have struggled with finding a “student reflection” that gives both the student and I real, honest feedback that we can turn into action. Data […]
One of the most common questions I get asked when I speak with teachers is “Okay, but how do you teach grammar?” And this mini-course is my answer to that! Yes, I use mentor texts to teach grammar just like I use mentor texts to teach any other writing skill. But in this course, I […]
Mentor Text: Red Vise, Blue Vise by Eric J. Stormer Techniques: Imagery Symbolism juxtaposition Background – I’ve long been a proponent of maintaining a notebook as a teacher – a place to capture all the half-baked ideas and flights of lesson planning fancy. I love my physical one, and have developed a similar pattern with the […]
In my twenty years of teaching, I have been in many IEP / 504 meetings and participated in the writing of student goals. And, always, the more qualitative nature of English is a challenge. It doesn’t make sense, for instance, to write a goal necessitating a student to “correctly identify the main idea of a […]
Mentor Text: The Giraffe from Vanishing Treasures by Katherine Rundell Techniques: Research Essay Background – Daylight Savings Time and insomnia don’t work very well together. I feel like I’ve just gotten that part of my life halfway regulated. Of course, it’s meant that I have a lot more time for reading. Combine that with the ease […]
I’m a frequent teacher, sometimes poet and occasional gamer. Once in a while, these identities collide. One such collision produced what I’m sharing today: Explicate, The Poetry Analysis Card Game. Before we get into the details, let me say, this is free to download and use here. But, if for some reason, you want to […]
Mentor Text: a scar tells a story by Maggie Smith Techniques: Connecting images and ideas Word choice Background – Sometimes my reading choices are influenced by my job. I read a lot of memoir anyway, but sometimes, when I flip through a book, I am deciding not just whether it is going to interest me, but […]
Over the last year or so, I’ve been thinking about how I can do more to help teachers. A one-day workshop or webinar is great, but I’m also convinced that the most important conversations we have are individual, one-on-one, and speak into the specifics of our lives. So, I started offering private coaching sessions just […]
On a recent sunny October morning, I laced up my sneakers and set out on a run through golden tree-lined paths in a park close to my house. The run was at a mild pace, the air fresh, and I was daydreaming while running. I ended the run red-cheeked but not overly winded or strained. […]
