If you’ve ever taught an early British Literature text, you know that strong, multidimensional female characters are hard to come by. Take Beowulf, for example: women are only named after they become wives, with the exception of one monster mother, who is depicted as a vengeful threat who must be vanquished after her son Grendel’s … Continue reading The Women of Beowulf and Student Responses by Kathryn Campbell
4 Poems by Richard Robbins
St. Francis and the Birds —a painting by Stanley Spencer The parade will go no further than the wall, where the gardener shields her eyes, the ducks, hens, and geese scuttle toward his frock, each dove and jay leaning forward on the low tiled roof to watch the boy lead each one, saint and bird, … Continue reading 4 Poems by Richard Robbins
Comics, Dickens, and Teaching by Serial Publication by Michael MacBride
Teaching the "huge" text s-l-o-w-l-y: taking your time with Dickens and Comic Books How do you teach a 500- or 900-page Dickens’ novel—heaven forbid a 1,500-page Richardson novel? (1) How do you teach a comic book, like Detective Comics, that has been running since 1937, or a comic strip, like Katzenjammer Kids, that's been around … Continue reading Comics, Dickens, and Teaching by Serial Publication by Michael MacBride
The iPad Invasion by Cassandra Scharber
"What I hope for you ... [is] that you think of technology as a verb, not a noun; that poetry drives you, not hardware." - Red Burns Setting the Scene In January 2010, the iPad was born and its birth instantaneously ignited a craze within K12 schools around the county. The iPad’s invasion of Minnesota’s … Continue reading The iPad Invasion by Cassandra Scharber
The New Face of Homelessness by Melissa Brandt
You know that moment when you’re at a party or a social gathering and a person you barely know asks, “So, what do you do?” I dread that moment. Not because I’m embarrassed by what I do. I love my job. I love the people, students, and families with whom I work. Their troubles are … Continue reading The New Face of Homelessness by Melissa Brandt
Exploring Whiteboard Apps in the Classroom by Emily Brisse
Although the topic of tablets in the classroom may be considered old news, it is still just as important to examine how this technology is being used in our districts and campuses and how we can improve its effectiveness. I’ve worked in a 1-to-1 iPad high school for the past two years, and now that … Continue reading Exploring Whiteboard Apps in the Classroom by Emily Brisse
SWOT and the Analysis of Literary Characters by John Banschbach
Like many teachers, I have a collection of teaching activities that can be used in different situations and that require little preparation. Freewriting, for example, can be used as an invention activity for writing or class discussion or it can be used as a classroom assessment technique (e.g., the “muddiest point” assignment). Another activity is … Continue reading SWOT and the Analysis of Literary Characters by John Banschbach
Promoting Literacy Outside the Classroom by Mitzi Watkins
“Ms. Watkins, my family and I took your book bag with us on our trip to Mexico, and we read the books in the car on our way there and back. Thanks for letting me take these books home!"---Esmeralda, 2nd grade student Before my first year of teaching, I had many delusions about what my … Continue reading Promoting Literacy Outside the Classroom by Mitzi Watkins
Rhetorical Empathy in the Writing Classroom by Erin Kunz
When developing a college composition course, content and methodology are always important considerations, but as instructors we also must consider how we can develop good practices in order to foster an intellectual environment. We try to create community for our students, but because of a number of issues—resistance, apathy, and misunderstanding, to name a few, … Continue reading Rhetorical Empathy in the Writing Classroom by Erin Kunz
Social Injustice in Multicultural Literature in an Elementary School Setting by Jongsun Wee & Nicholas Wysocki
Discussing issues related to social justice in multicultural literature can help our children develop an understanding of this concept. (1) These discussions provide a space where children can achieve several Language Arts and Social Studies goals, such as developing critical thinking and comprehension skills concerning social inequalities that require agency on the part of democratic … Continue reading Social Injustice in Multicultural Literature in an Elementary School Setting by Jongsun Wee & Nicholas Wysocki
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