How to Write a Literature Analysis Essay in 3 Simple Steps
As an adult when you pick up a book, you are rarely thinking, "I would LOVE to write a Literature Analysis Essay!" I think our students have the same mindset. At the end of every book comes a dreaded assignment, not just the satisfaction of having finished and...
What are the Rhetorical Appeals? 3 Important Appeals!
We use rhetoric pretty much every day, so it is not really all that difficult to answer the following question: "What are the Rhetorical Appeals?" Let's look at a realistic discussion I have had with my child. When I am trying to get my 3-year-old to obey, I use basic...
7 Tips for Creating Response Questions for Reading
Creating effective, standards-based response questions for reading takes a BUNCH of time! However, they are SUPER necessary for helping your students prepare for reading-based standardized tests. It is really tough to go through test prep season without go-to response...
50 Fun Prompt Writing Ideas for High School Students
Students either love or hate writing. Those who love it usually are the ones who enjoy reading as well. They might spend their time journaling, composing poetry, or writing short stories. These students not only enjoy the process; they embrace it with every part of...
6 Elements of Short Stories You SHOULD Teach
I am a huge fan of short stories. And let's be real, most of our students prefer reading short stories to pretty much anything else. My personal favorites include "The Most Dangerous Game," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Lottery," particularly because they include...
7 Spectacular Short Stories for Middle Schools
Competing with students’ love of all things technology can be difficult, particularly in middle school English. As a result, finding ways to hook these young readers becomes imperative. Enter short stories for middle schools, especially short stories with twists! ...
10 Helpful Ways to Practice for Standardized Tests
Getting ready to practice for standardized tests coming up? In the months of February through May, standardized tests flood the American school system like the plague. Today, students take more standardized tests than in any other period in history. My parents who...
8 Engaging Ways to Begin Teaching with Films
Teaching with films can be a highly controversial activity in education. Even though people nowadays consume more movies and videos than any other form of media, we rarely consider them valid forms of literature. And this perception is unfortunate. So many of us watch...
What Reading Strategies Work Wonders on Standardized Tests
Let's be real. Standardized testing is here to stay, at least for a while anyway. We cannot escape standardized tests, especially if we are ELA and/or Reading Teachers. Now, I know we all are thinking the following: What reading strategies can we realistically...
6 Relevant Reading Comprehension Testing Season Tips
No one goes into teaching thinking "I can't wait to help my students with reading comprehension testing." Yet it is one of the necessary, and I do say necessary, parts of teaching English language arts and reading. Teachers cannot escape some sort of standardized...
Hi, I’m KRISTIN!
I primarily focus on integrating multiple disciplines and subjects. The goal is to make teaching simplified and effective!