Allison and I started Moving Writers, the blog, nearly 12 years ago on the Monday we returned to school after attending NCTE. We named it as we walked through the courtyard to our classrooms. “It’s not about making better writing,” Allison said. “It’s about growing better writers.” We began with an aggressive posting schedule of […]
Tag: teaching
Metaphor as an Organizing Force in the College Entrance Essay
March 25, 2025 The college entrance essay: Should we teach it or shouldn’t we? This year, the guidance department of our high school, New Directions Secondary School in the Bronx, NY, asked me if I could teach a unit on the college entrance essay in our Juniors English class. In my career, the college entrance […]
Primary Sources and So Much More
Greetings this Monday morning. It’s March—the month of Spring Breaks—and teachers could not be looking forward to anything more after some long months to start the year. May your breaks be restful and productive for YOU, and may you find time to rejuvenate to make it all the way to the end of the school […]
Using Artificial Intelligence for Differentiation
Show of hands… how many people feel that the need to differentiate in your classroom has become more intense? Here at my public high school in New York City, in the Bronx, working with students who are over-aged, under-credited, working with students who’ve had some disruption to their education…the differentiation needs have become overwhelming. What do […]
Teaching Game Design for Hope
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 […]
Find a starting line: Using writing contests to reexamine writing skills and motivate writers
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. […]
Books Made for Sticky Notes: Analysis in the Wild
When I read nonfiction, I usually read through two lenses: a reader interested in the topic and a writer interested in the craft. I’m pretty much always on the hunt for those little gems that give both student and teacher writers a glimpse at what writing for authentic audiences and purposes can look like. The […]
An Alternate Script for the Embarrassed Self
I’m very happy that my idea of creating Embarrassment Free Zones resonated with many teachers and students. My goal in this post is to establish that there are situations when Free Zones won’t work. Yes, that’s right.
What Went Right?
I write this post coming off of a “grading high.” Assessing student work does not always leave me feeling cheerful and refreshed. There are times it leaves me feeling discouraged and plagued with questions: “What went wrong? How did so many of my students miss the mark on this skill?” But as we race into […]
moving writers 