A poem is a small but powerful thing. It is the history of the human heart. It has the power to reach inside of you, to ignite something in you, and to change you in ways you never imagined. There is a feeling of connection when we read a poem that articulates our deepest feelings. Poems can inspire us to write our own journeys, to find our own voices.
Read MoreKids these days are so lucky! There so many great young adult (YA) books for them to choose from. Here are some of our favorites for social justice:
Read MoreEngage Your Middle School Students in an Epic Journey of Storytelling
Read MoreHere are some tips and tricks that we have learned along the way to elicit productive comments from students in the hopes that they recognize their own self worth and try their best in school.
Read MoreThere are so many debates now-a-days when it comes to grammar instruction. To explicitly teach grammar concepts or not to explicitly teach grammar concepts? To teach grammar in context or not to teach grammar in context? Some grammar experts even argue that we should just get rid of all the grammatical terminology that we grew up learning, like phrase and clause, and instead just teach sentence structure. This can be found in the post by Edutopia and in the new book, Between the Commas by Martin Brandt. One thing is for sure…we are noticing that each year our students are coming to our classrooms with more and more gaps in their grammar knowledge. This is not the fault of the teachers prior, but the result of such grammar debates and changes in curriculum instruction. We really have no dog in this fight. Our one goal is to make sure that our students leave our classrooms with an understanding of sentence structure and how to organize their paragraphs within an essay.
Read MoreEnglish Language Arts (ELA) classes, where students dive into the fascinating world of literature, can sometimes feel like a never-ending labyrinth of words and characters. Let's be honest, retaining all that information can be as challenging as deciphering Shakespearean sonnets. But fear not! In this delightful blog post, we'll explore five strategies that will help your students remember class content in ELA, because, well, let's face it, Shakespeare isn't memorable enough on his own.
Read MoreWelcome back, fellow educators! As the new school year approaches, it’s time to brush up on those classroom management skills that keep our classrooms running smoothly. Here are my top 10 strategies to ensure a peaceful and productive year:
Read MoreFinding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome is a book that we love to teach to our middle school classes. It takes place right after World War II during the Great Migration as Langston and his father move from rural Alabama to the bustling city of Chicago after Langston’s mother passes away. It is a heartfelt story about a boy’s love of his family, books, and poetry.
Read MoreAre you looking to transform your classroom into a vibrant, engaging, and productive environment? Gamification might be your key. By incorporating game elements into your teaching strategies, you can make learning fun and more effective. Here are some practical tips to help you get started.
Read MoreA well-organized classroom is essential for creating a productive and engaging learning environment. Efficient organization helps reduce clutter, minimizes distractions, and maximizes teaching time. Whether you are a seasoned teacher or new to the profession, these classroom organization hacks will help you create a structured and inviting space for your students.
Read MoreVelocity of Being: Letters to Young Readers is one of the most beautiful books we have ever read, inside and out, and we highly recommend it to every language arts, English, and reading teacher out there.
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