Don’t finish the book if you hate it. Find something you like. Pencils are on my desk. If you’re tired, rest your eyes. Yes, you can eat food here. All phrases I never thought I would say in my classroom. This is an English class; of course they have to finish every book they start. … Continue reading Meeting Students Where They Need: A First-Year Reflection by Kassandra Rood
Teaching Animal Farm in Central America by Taylore Lenway
In high school, I decided that I wanted to be an English teacher, and I followed that goal to the University of Minnesota Duluth. I cannot speak highly enough of the preparation I received, through word and example, at UMD, and despite the many curveballs thrown by COVID-19, I completed a fairly normal student teaching … Continue reading Teaching Animal Farm in Central America by Taylore Lenway
Come on in! The Water’s Fine: School Reform Begins with Me by Sheryl Lain
When I was a kid, I could not bring my toes to release their hold on the lip of the high dive, even though my girlfriend pressed me forward, begging me to hurry and jump. The first few times on that thin line in the sky, I had to retreat down the ladder, my tail … Continue reading Come on in! The Water’s Fine: School Reform Begins with Me by Sheryl Lain
The Over-Simplified Guide to Creating Courses, Unit Plans, & Lessons by Jean Prokott
Congratulations! You get to write your own course. What happens next? Here’s a list of ten steps that will make this whole process look a lot easier than it is: RESEARCH What is the name of the course, and what are the state, district, school, and department objectives for the course? What is the theme … Continue reading The Over-Simplified Guide to Creating Courses, Unit Plans, & Lessons by Jean Prokott
What Matters in the Classroom? A Pre-Survey by Jean Prokott
(Download a .docx version of this survey here) Below are various factors that make a successful classroom. Please rank them in the order of which you think is most important (1) to less important (12). On the back of the sheet, justify your order/explain your process. Then, create a graphic organizer that represents how each … Continue reading What Matters in the Classroom? A Pre-Survey by Jean Prokott
Opposites Attract: Binary Opposites in Alice Sebold’s Lucky by Tanya Stafsholt Miller
The cover of Alice Sebold’s memoir reads, “In the tunnel where I was raped, a girl had been murdered and dismembered. I was told this story by the police. In comparison, they said, I was LUCKY.” By juxtaposing the incongruous words “rape” and “lucky,” Sebold invites readers to ask, what does it mean to be … Continue reading Opposites Attract: Binary Opposites in Alice Sebold’s Lucky by Tanya Stafsholt Miller
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