An English teacher who is passionate about PBL and diverse world literature.
“Are we ever going to read something happy?” If you are a secondary English teacher, I am positive you could retire now if you got a dime each time you’ve heard that question. While we all love the conflict and depth that comes with all the death, murder, and mayhem in the literature we are … Continue reading 8 Short Stories and Poems to Bring Joy to Your Classroom
The days leading up to Winter Break can feel like pure chaos. Between holiday excitement, special events, and the countdown to break, keeping students focused on learning feels nearly impossible. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “How do I keep my students reading and working when their minds are already on vacation?”—you’re in the right … Continue reading How to Keep Students Engaged Before Winter Break with a Magical ELA Escape Room
The end of the school year can be a strange mix of exhaustion and anticipation—for both teachers and students. You’re trying to maintain structure while also celebrating all the growth that’s happened. If you’re looking for meaningful and memorable activities to wrap up your English class, here are three favorites that combine reflection, creativity, and … Continue reading 3 Engaging Activities for the End of the Year in High School English
What do feminist theory, Disney movies, and student-led creativity have in common? If you’re teaching literary analysis this semester, everything. Teaching fairy tales can be more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane. With the right approach, these familiar stories become rich texts for critical thinking, discussion, and engaging project-based learning. In this post, … Continue reading How to Transform Fairy Tale Analysis with Critical Lens Analysis (and a Disney-Inspired PBL Project!)
The Arthurian legends, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is one of my all-time favorite stories! Sadly, I usually don’t have the time to read through the entire tale with students. Plus, the language can be a bit daunting for some of our 21st century learners. This is where I decided to use my 21st … Continue reading A Multi-modal Approach to Teaching “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
The first two weeks of the schoolyear is critical for establishing relationships with our students and setting up expectations for the year. This time sets the tone for a positive and productive classroom environment. Engaging activities and clear communication during these initial days can foster a sense of community and excitement for the year ahead. … Continue reading 8 Back to School Activities Middle and High School English Teachers LOVE
Whether you have weeks or days until it’s back to school season for you, I am sure that you are already considering ways to make the first weeks of class the best yet. Even in high school, we know that the first 10 days of school are crucial to setting up expectations, making connections, and setting the tone for our classroom. These are my top tips for setting my year up for success! Continue reading Engaging Back to School Activities for High School English: Build Relationships, Spark Reading, and Foster SEL
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is hands down one of my all-time favorite plays. The love stories, the shenanigans of Puck, all of the jokes at Bottom’s expense…. It’s just perfection! I also LOVE mythology and this play is stuffed with it and it really adds to the magic of the story! Shakespeare had far less … Continue reading Teaching A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Mythology Allusions
As the end of the school year approaches, I know how hard it can be to keep students engaged and motivated, while also ensuring that you meet all the necessary requirements. To make the end of the year easier, I wanted to share a few tips/ideas that may help you make the most of the last … Continue reading Engaging End of School Year Activities for High School Students
Teaching Film as Literature in High School Introducing films into literature classes is a great way for students to explore stories in an exciting and interactive way. Movies capture attention and help us understand characters and themes in a different light. They’re visual stories that also show us a lot about the world and society. … Continue reading Teaching Film as Literature in High School
Around the World With Mrs. C 