An English teacher who is passionate about PBL and diverse world literature.
High school English teachers face a vocabulary crisis affecting text comprehension. Strategies like close readings, Greek and Latin roots, and Science of Reading help bridge the gap. Incorporating these into daily practices ensures students receive consistent exposure to conquer vocabulary struggles. Continue reading Using Close Reads to Improve Vocabulary Skills in Middle and High School
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
Greek fatalism stemmed from the belief in the omnipotence of the Fates, who determined the destinies of mortals. This idea of predestined fate influenced various aspects of Greek life, including religion, philosophy, and literature. The Fates, also known as the Moirai, are three sister goddesses responsible for assigning destinies to mortals and cutting their life’s … Continue reading Teaching About Greek Fatalism through Mythical Heroes
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
Lets talk about connecting our students with the real world audiences that we are asking them to create for. How often do we English teachers tell them to “imagine” they are writing this speech for or that they are writing in an editorial for this publication…..but all they are doing is creating for us? How … Continue reading Connecting Students with Real World Audiences
A few weeks ago I shared some of my favorite podcasts to use in high school English. I even made this guide of 17 that myself and other English teachers love! Of course, this will be an ever-growing suggestion as we discover more podcasts every day. In today’s post, I wanted to share one that was not … Continue reading 4 Short Stories You Should Check Out On LeVar Burton Reads
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
There seems to be a divide in some circles of ELA teachers between content-based and skills-based instruction. However, there really doesn’t have to be. By providing our students with a rich thematic approach to a central text and a compelling essential question to anchor it in, we can do both! In today’s post, I am … Continue reading Are monsters born or created? A Thematic Approach to Frankenstein
Mythical heroes is one of my favorite things to share with my World Literature classes each year! These heroes can reveal so much about a culture’s values, but so can the mighty weapons they are chosen to wield. These mythical weapons come with unique powers and gifts that fight for the good in the world … Continue reading 7 Mythical Weapons and What They Can Teach Us
It is spring! And you know what that means…. The sun is out in all her glory. The flowers are bursting and….testing season is here. Yes, state testing is coming for many of us no matter how we may feel about it. So I thought this blog post would be the perfect way to share … Continue reading High School ELA Test Prep, but Make It Fun?
Around the World With Mrs. C 