Browsing Tag
If you had asked me earlier in my career whether I wanted my students to use a tool to correct their grammar, such as Grammarly, my answer would have been heck no. However, after a few years, I have seen the benefits of Grammarly as an excellent tool for students in my high school English …
Writing is hard. Teaching writing is even harder. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it is quite a struggle. My favorite writing strategy is using a joint construct to help students understand what I am expecting in their writing. What is a joint construct? Let’s start from the beginning. A joint construct is when …
We have all entered a professional development session thinking about the never-ending to-do list we have as teachers. Add the additional steps for English teachers to grade the piles of paragraphs, essays, and presentations. I end up feeling disgruntled sitting in a meeting that feels like it could have been an email or filled with …
Over the years, my students have had some of the most imaginative and original creative writing ideas, but they often have difficulty finding the right words to express these ideas in a way that allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in their literary worlds. Incorporating activities for students to practice infusing imagery into their …
Engaging middle school students in the creative writing process can be a challenge. Often, emphasis is placed on non fiction and essay writing skills. Because of this, creative writing is often pushed to the wayside. However, providing students opportunities to practice creative writing strategies is crucially important. In Writing: Teachers and Children at Work, Donald …
If you’re looking for an engaging way to get your students writing daily while supporting your students’ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), give daily gratitude writing a try. What is Gratitude Writing? Gratitude writing is simply the practice of spending time each day physically writing down the things we’re grateful for. Some people use bullet lists, others …
I love using picture books. Anytime I can, I do. I find that they engage and excite my students instantly. As teachers, we have the students who love writing and the ones who would rather be doing anything else. This year, my class is filled with students who despise writing. I am constantly trying to …
Vocabulary is one of the biggest struggles my students face in my room. They often just skip over unknown or difficult words because it is easier than trying to figure out the meaning. I strongly believe that using context clues is one of the biggest and most important lessons we teach our students. We need …
Summer reading is required for many high school students and your school may ask that you recommend novels for your students to read this year. Samantha from Samantha in Secondary is bringing you a list that will help you update your arsenal. Instead of recommending novels that have been done time and time again, refresh …
This week Samantha K is sharing how she tackles vocabulary in the upper-grade levels. It’s nothing fancy, but it is an idea to add to your toolbox. She works to balance the fun element of learning with the long-term skill focus with older students. When it comes to vocabulary, Samantha looks at the goals for …
