I love poetry, but I understand that I am in the minority here. Most students when asked to read poetry instantly become like deer in the headlights. And a part of the reason is because of the structure of poems from free verse to those that use poetry devices sound...
As teachers, we often think of how we were taught and either follow suit or go in a very different direction. In that way, it’s a bit like parenting, isn’t it? In both instances as times change, our approaches need to adapt as well. This idea is true in so many...
The word “worksheet” has a bad rap nowadays. And honestly, I don’t really understand why. Worksheets simply have the “work” displayed on paper; they allow teachers to assess their students’ mastery of certain knowledge and/or...
If you have ever been a high school reading and comprehension teacher or an English teacher, you will know the struggle of teaching reading skills, standards, and texts to students. I know it might seem simple on the surface, but teachers nowadays have students who...
Typically, reading poems about death can be a big bummer. Maudlin musings describing the death of a loved one can greatly affect any audience, including the students in your classroom. Even though most people are fascinated by death as evidenced by movies, music, and...
In the past, I have not been a huge fan of incorporating personal narrative examples in my curriculum. Narratives seemed too simplistic, a type of writing meant for the elementary classroom. Besides, students should be good at telling stories by the time they reach...