I was still new to thisbut not brand new,in my third or fourth yearworking at a schoolwith an urgent pedagogymodel, teaching bell-to-belland according to best practicebuzzwords, and thanks to burnoutand turnover, I looked aroundthe room and realized I’d becomesomething of a veteran. The guy in front of the roomwas a buddy, someone who’d beenin our … Continue reading Warm Demand by Patrick Hueller
When Students See Themselves: Why Diverse Literature Isn’t Optional by Marcia Ranft
Introduction The first time a student pointed to a book cover and said, “She looks like me,” I was reminded why diverse literature isn’t optional—it’s essential. In a climate where debates about books can overshadow the needs of the children who read them, teachers often feel pressure to play it safe. Fear of backlash from … Continue reading When Students See Themselves: Why Diverse Literature Isn’t Optional by Marcia Ranft
Translation as Freedom: On Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 and Feminist Consciousness by Sophia Epony Kim
Great World Texts in Wisconsin connects high school teachers and students across the state with scholars at UW-Madison through the shared project of reading and discussing a classic piece of world literature. During the 2024–25 academic year, Minnesota Writing Project Teacher Consultant Paul Glembocki helped lead the inaugural year of Great World Texts in Minnesota … Continue reading Translation as Freedom: On Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 and Feminist Consciousness by Sophia Epony Kim
Louder Than Words: The Transformative Impact of Poetry Out Loud in the Classroom by Mary Hillmann
Introduction: A Practical Challenge in Today’s ELA Classroom Many English teachers are searching for ways to make poetry instruction more engaging, more relevant and more effective. How do we move students beyond surface-level comprehension into deeper analysis? How do we build confidence in speaking and discussion, especially for students who are hesitant to share their … Continue reading Louder Than Words: The Transformative Impact of Poetry Out Loud in the Classroom by Mary Hillmann
Recognizing and Celebrating the Life and Times of Grandmaster Maurice Ashley: A Teaching Tip by William P. Bintz and Shabnam Moini Chaghervand
Historically, there have been many famous chess grandmasters. These include Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, Bobby Fisher, Anatoly Karpov, and Emanuel Lasker. One name, however, is rarely, if ever, included on the list of chess grandmasters. He has been overlooked, if not ignored, by the chess game industry. His name is Maurice Ashley. He deserves to … Continue reading Recognizing and Celebrating the Life and Times of Grandmaster Maurice Ashley: A Teaching Tip by William P. Bintz and Shabnam Moini Chaghervand
The Right to Read: Crafting and Publishing Rationales for Banned Books by Remington M. Foust
Introduction Across the United States, a renewed wave of book challenges and bans has increasingly targeted young adult (YA) literature, particularly texts that explore race, gender identity, sexuality, mental health, and civic resistance. While debates over censorship in education are not new, the current scale, coordination, and politicization of these challenges have created urgent consequences … Continue reading The Right to Read: Crafting and Publishing Rationales for Banned Books by Remington M. Foust
Teaching Narrative Through the Fine Arts: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Student Comprehension by Susan Decker
Teaching abstract English Language Arts (ELA) concepts using parallels from the fine arts increases student learning due to both biological and psychological responses to the arts. This deliberate duet between the fine arts (specifically visual art, music, dance/theater, and film) and ELA also has great academic benefits, as the beauty of ELA thus becomes more … Continue reading Teaching Narrative Through the Fine Arts: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Student Comprehension by Susan Decker
Cover Me Up: Quilts and their Substitutes in Southern Fiction by Kay Walter and Arley-Beth Cravey
The tradition of American Patchwork Quilting is nowhere more vital than in the Mississippi Delta. The Gee’s Bend quilters, a group of rural Alabama African American women descended from enslaved people who create abstract quilts using improvisational designs, made their Delta quilting world-famous. A quilt can be many things, but at base it is a … Continue reading Cover Me Up: Quilts and their Substitutes in Southern Fiction by Kay Walter and Arley-Beth Cravey
The Case of the Missing Counterargument by Gail M. Netland Froyd
Argumentative writing is a common component of both secondary and postsecondary composition instruction; in the contemporary onslaught of constant information and misinformation from social media and AI, information literacy and the ability to comprehend, construct, and deconstruct arguments is more crucial than ever. Critical thinking that leads to the ability to anticipate needs and concerns … Continue reading The Case of the Missing Counterargument by Gail M. Netland Froyd
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