When I was in college, I had a class with a girl whose entire American literature experience revolved around Transcendentalist texts. She went to a private school and had most of her classes outdoors. I found her and this outdoor learning concept fascinating. I would bring up the topic any chance I got so she could regale me with the idyllic scene of reading in the plush grass or writing to the ... Read More about English Outdoors: How to take your ELA class outside
How to Diversify Your British Literature Class
Even before the powerful “Disrupt the Canon” movement started, I wanted to better diversify my traditional British Literature Curriculum. My mission has only increased with time, as I become more convicted about the importance of having a wide variety of representation in our English literature curriculum. Most will agree that it is easy to diversify American Literature, but when it comes to ... Read More about How to Diversify Your British Literature Class
Instagram Made Me Do It: Teaching ideas from the gram
Though Instagram can sometimes make teachers to feel less than enough or overwhelmed, I have found that a healthy amount of time spent on Instagram brings me a lot of inspiration, camaraderie, and ideas. Here are a few of my favorite ideas from the #teachergram community. Instagram Made Me Do It: Teaching ideas from the gram 1. Community Building Attendance ... Read More about Instagram Made Me Do It: Teaching ideas from the gram
A Gift Guide for English Teachers
Since I'm an English teacher, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of gifts ideas for other English teachers. If you are a student who has happened upon this page, bless you. Your English teachers are the hardest working teachers you have--trust me-- and any token of appreciation will be cherished (just skip over the libation related gifts on the list 😉). For others who are here ... Read More about A Gift Guide for English Teachers
10 Ways to Add Movement in the ELA Classroom
Whether your students are lethargic or super-charged, adding movement to your lesson plans will help to solve both issues. Not only is it healthy to move throughout the day, but it can also help students focus and become more engaged with the content they are trying to master. Due to the nature of English classes, ELA students often find themselves needing to sit to read or write for long ... Read More about 10 Ways to Add Movement in the ELA Classroom
Keeping the Wonder Workshop at the Edgar Allan Poe Museum
When I first dreamed up the idea of hosting a workshop for secondary English literature teachers, I envisioned how beautiful the venue would be, how inspiring the presenters would be, and how relieved I would be once it was over. HA! Well, my partners in wonder had other plans because the minute our first Keeping the Wonder Workshop ended, they started asking when we could do it again! While I ... Read More about Keeping the Wonder Workshop at the Edgar Allan Poe Museum
