State testing. Field trips. Weird last-minute assembly schedules that turn your day upside down. No matter how well a teacher…
middle school
ChatGPT: Friend or Foe?
I met with a group of teachers on Thursday (shout out to Carterville!) to talk about A.I. text generators and…
Very Necessary Brain Break
So my daughter bought an axolotl. Her name is Elvira – the amphibian, not the kid. She’s jet-black and looks…
Cell Phone Characterization Refresh
This week’s focus was on moving my “Whose phone is this?” worksheet into 2023. Thousands of teachers have used this…
Free! Story Path, Step-by-Step Storytelling Guide
As English teachers know, a lot of stories are the same story. Breaking down that successful narrative pattern with students…
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…