I recently led a professional development session for my colleagues on a workshop day. In it, we compared rubrics for different types of assignments. It ended up being quite informative, so I’ve synthesized the information into this blog post.Comparing rubric typesAs we all know, not all rubrics are ...
Read More about Creating Rubrics That Inform Students and Save You Time
My 7 Favorite Short Stories For 9-10 Grades
I recently finished work on my Short Story Unit for 9-10 grade ELA. Rather than pick stories and pair skills with each, I decided to pick skills and allow YOU to pick a story for each. As I created the unit, I noticed a trend as I was making short story recommendations. There were some that seemed ...
Read More about My 7 Favorite Short Stories For 9-10 Grades
Strategies to Help Your Students Prepare For On-demand Writing
Our quarter ends next week, which means my AP Lit students have to write a timed writing on their independent reading. Although we’ve done some practice essays and lots of paragraphs, this will be their first summative, on-demand essay. And, I’ll be honest, they’re anxious.To help them feel ...
Read More about Strategies to Help Your Students Prepare For On-demand Writing
A Free Poem Lesson: “ Zz Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins
Every once in a while, you teach a text and everything is perfect. It’s the perfect blend of the text, the class make-up, and the lesson. This week, I had that moment with Billy Collins’ “Introduction Poetry,” so I wanted to share it with you!For context, my school is on a modified block schedule. ...
Read More about A Free Poem Lesson: “ Zz Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins
The Purpose and Value of a High School Writing Center
Back in 2018, I successfully pitched, created, and ran our school’s Writing Center. It ran for two years. However, 2019 presented budget cuts and I was given two options: run the WC for free, or close it up. I wish I could say I was servant-hearted enough to do it for free, but I was already doing ...
Read More about The Purpose and Value of a High School Writing Center
The Power of Visual Pairing in Teaching Literary Terms
When I was in high school, I came home with a C- on my History midterm. My parents were shocked and, honestly, so was I. While not exactly a straight A student, I had never gone down to the Cs before. I couldn’t exactly articulate why history was so hard for me, other than saying I just couldn’t ...
Read More about The Power of Visual Pairing in Teaching Literary Terms