As English teachers know, a lot of stories are the same story. Breaking down that successful narrative pattern with students…
high school English

My 6th pd. freshmen are rude and disrespectful
Today’s post is a question I received via email this week. This teacher gave me permission to share our exchange…

Free Teacher Planner Template
Go ahead and call me a minimalist because when it comes to lesson planning, I’m a fan of “less is…

Three of a Kind: A Bell-Ringer Game
How do you help teens settle in after the chaos of passing period? How do you build enthusiasm for learning…

A 3-Minute Rant on Teacher Burnout
[Note: You might’ve noticed things look different on the blog. The template I’ve used since 2014 has been “retired” by…

Editable Worksheet Templates
Building a good worksheet is tricky.It has to be useful. No busywork.It has to guide students to do a lot…

Audiobook Resources for Teachers (Free & Low Cost)
A question today over on this post about how to run an in-class reading program: From KristaI’ve been doing your…

Teaching Theme with Rock, Paper, Scissors
In order to grow more comfortable and confident when discussing theme, students need lots of practice. Early in the year,…

Free Set of 25 Posters
Need to freshen up a neglected classroom bulletin board or library display? Grab your students’ attention and inspire them to…

Modern “Mother To Son”
Last week, a shortened version of Langston Hughes’ beautiful poem was featured in an ad to promote Bel Air, a…