It is the best of jobs, it is the worst of jobs, it is the career of joy and fulfillment, it is the career of crippling self-doubt and soul-crushing imposter syndrome. Or, maybe that’s just me. Full confession: I ended last year in a very, very bad place. I was just undone by the enormityContinue reading “Teaching is hard, but it isn’t brain surgery.”
Tag Archives: writing
The MAGIC of Reader’s Theater Part II: Making REALLY Tough Texts Readable
Some time ago, I posted a basic how-to (and why-to!) guide to Reader’s Theater. Few strategies have had a bigger positive impact on building engagement and community in my ELA classroom. However, it’s important to remember that engagement and community are the first steps toward what we’re really after: comprehension. As ELA/Social Studies teachers, weContinue reading “The MAGIC of Reader’s Theater Part II: Making REALLY Tough Texts Readable”
Engage: Agree/Disagree Walkaround
Here’s a quick activity to get students interacting with each other and talking about big ideas. How to set it up: Create 9 agree/disagree statements aligned with your current or upcoming topic of study. Create a student paper with a grid 3 x 3. You will add one agree/disagree statement to each box. You willContinue reading “Engage: Agree/Disagree Walkaround”
