Tools to Help You Teach Middle School ELA
Your principal tells you that you need a yearlong plan or a year-at-a-glance (YAG)…great. Now what is that and how do you create it? Here’s the easiest way to do that. Just read on. What is a yearlong plan? A yearlong plan is an overview of what you’ll be teaching all year. It will save […] Read more…
Teach characterization using short films that will keep your students engaged in learning! Short films like Pixar shorts are perfect for this lesson — and students love them! Students get hooked into the lesson right away! How do you teach it? Let’s dive in: But first… What is characterization? Characterization refers to the way a […] Read more…
Do you have the classroom tools that you need to streamline teaching, organize papers, and keep you and your students focused on content? Here are some best bets for classroom organization This post includes affiliate links. You can read more here. Affiliate links help me fund my blog, but at no additional cost to you! […] Read more…
No matter how entertaining you are, your students still need to move around and talk during class. Here are some great ways to get students moving, talking, problem solving, and interacting with different classmates. What’s the perfect size for grouping students? Students often struggle in groups. One student make take over and do all the […] Read more…
The best way to learn about your student writers is to perform a diagnostic writing assessment. This can help you analyze what your students need and determine your instructional strategies. When you get a batch of new students, you need to get to know them as human beings, but also as students — and more […] Read more…
The first day of school is full of organizing, paper passing, and expectations. While kids are happy to reconnect with friends, the business of the first day can be draining. That’s why playing a game on the first day is a great way to engage students. I play Scattergories throughout the year with my class […] Read more…