Literary analysis is the hardest writing mode to teach. Narrative, research, and argument? Got those covered. But literary analysis? Oof.…
critical thinking
Gen Z + Satire = Video Gold!
Are you in on the joke? You are now. Based on the suggestion of a teacher friend (thanks, Darby!), I…
You Don’t Always Have to be the Expert
A few years back, I noticed something weird – kids sometimes, maybe even often, learned more when I did less. One…
“Homewrecker” – Would You or Wouldn’t You?
I need your help with a judgment call. This month, one of my favorite podcasts, Criminal, detailed the compelling case…
Women’s History Month? Eh… No Thanks
A while back, I wrote the following post for the TeachersPayTeachers blog. I’m sharing it here, too, as a repost…
How I Teach Theme (Free Slides)
As part of my occasional series on how I teach writing, today I’m presenting a mini-lecture that can be used…
Building Growth Mindset
Want to amuse and motivate your kids? Let’s build a Famous Failures bulletin board!
Brainstorming Solutions (Free Handouts)
New(ish) teacher Kelli was wondering this week how to help her middle schoolers slow down and gather their thoughts before…
Let Hasan Minhaj Tell You a Story
Do yourself a favor and allow this master storyteller to tell you about his senior prom. Hasan Minhaj, you may…
7 Questions to Use with Any TEDTalk
If you want to use TEDTalks in your classroom but aren’t sure how to make them work, help has arrived!