Home
Find A Blog Post
Shop
AP Daily Video Resources
Teachers Pay Teachers
Free Resource Library

Nav Social Menu

Close Reading Strategies

How to Create and Use an Annotation Guide for Focused Analysis

Cart

Latest on Instagram

My newest blog post shares a simple teaching strat

My newest blog post shares a simple teaching strategy I’ve been using for years and recently brought into my AP Lit class. I use the assess, paid, share, score strategy to get students to read closely and defend their answers—all before their assessment is scored. Since doing this I’ve seen a huge spike in engagement, close reading, and multiple choice scores. Check out the blog post to read more and make the simple switch! Link in bio!

#aplit #iteachhighschool #apreading #2ndaryela

Today was our back to school kickoff, which means

Today was our back to school kickoff, which means this summer is officially over. Despite my leg injury, I still managed to visit some friends, go to my first in-person AP Lit reading in 4 years, and make memories with my favorite people. Time to kick off year 21 of teaching!

#teachersonbreak #teachersfollowteachers #iteachhighschoolenglish #iteachhighschool

Here are my non-negotiable classroom items & proce

Here are my non-negotiable classroom items & procedures! I run the school’s writing center from my classroom, so I always need copies of our MLA handbook on hand.

The little vampires will not tolerate my fluorescent lighting (and I don’t care for it either). I’ve strung lights & lamps all throughout the room.

Teachers & staff fill out recommendation cards from our library and I rotate out a display all year as they’re checked out.

I always print out extra handouts in case copies get lost. Everything is kept in the absent folders for easy access. Next to it are trays for students to submit physical work.

I cannot survive without plants, but I’m in a windowless room. This small grow lamp keeps my plants alive evenings and weekends!

No name papers are put here, right in the entrance of the room.

Phones in the phone home! This is a rule at my school and it’s been a game changer. I offer phone charging as well for students who need it.

Students’ computers are always dying, so I keep extension cords and multiple outlets so students can charge their laptops.

All the reading in my Shakespeare class occurs in class, so students usually don’t need to bring their books home. They plop them here in this basket on their way out of the classroom each day, avoiding rips in backpacks.

I gesture to these lit term posters constantly as my teach. They’re great for reminding students of definitions without outright giving them.

I gesture to these posters constantly too, so they’re right next to our whiteboard.

I make my AP Lit students make memes about the class each year, then hide them on the back of my classroom door 😇

There are no shortage of fictional educators to in

There are no shortage of fictional educators to inspire (or shock) you. I think these 10 make up my core teaching personality. Who makes up yours? #teachersfollowteachers #iteachhighschoolenglish #teachersofig

Have you taken the color quiz yet? This 5 minute q

Have you taken the color quiz yet? This 5 minute quiz is an insightful and interesting way to think about your reading habits—and my results were spot on! If you’ve taken it, let me know your color & favorite book from the recommendations! Mine is Rebecca or Into Thin Air.

If you’ve taken haven’t taken it, follow the link (here or in my stories) - or just Google “read your color.” No email sign up is necessary 😎 https://readyourcolor.com

#readyourcolor #booksofig #becauseofreading #2ndaryela #iteachhighschoolenglish

I’m officially back! The room is (almost) set up a

I’m officially back! The room is (almost) set up and my brain is spinning with new ideas! Here’s to year 21! 🥂

#iteachhighschool #2ndaryela #teachersfollowteachers #iteachhighschoolenglish #teachersofinstagram

I hate this, truly, but I’ve got a mortgage to pay

I hate this, truly, but I’ve got a mortgage to pay, so…hi.

(I’ve got a real Mary from Hocus Pocus look going here and I’ve decided to embrace it.)

#teacherspayteachers #iteach

Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2026 · Website Design By Becca Paro Design Co.