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Back-to-School: Five Tips for Setting Up Your Classroom!

It's that time of year again! When the hotdogs, fireworks, and family time wind down, I always start to feel a certain restlessness. I feel bored of my lazy summer routine and start thinking about the school year to come. Some feelings are of anxiety, but most feelings at this time of…

My Favorite Things: Middle Grades Novel Studies, Part One

One thing you will quickly learn about me: I LOVE BOOKS. Nothing makes me happier than sharing my love of books and the written word with others, especially kids. Learning to teach novels to a group of students can be challenging at times, but it is a challenge that ignites my passion to…

FIVE Things To Do When Finalizing Report Cards

No matter how many years you've been teaching or how organized you are, it always seems like when report card times roll around, it is extra stressful for teachers. On top of your normal load of lesson planning, designing PowerPoints and activities and worksheets, reviewing curriculum…

Teaching Middle School ELA in October: Five Content Topics to Enrich Your Classroom! (Part 2)

In my blog post, Teaching Middle School ELA in October: Five Content Topics to Enrich Your Classroom  (Part 1), I identified FIVE super engaging content topics that you could explore with your students in the month of October: 1. The remainder of Hispanic Heritage Month (begins mid Septem…

Teaching Middle School ELA in October: Five Content Topics to Enrich Your Classroom! (Part 1)

The weather starts cooling outside, but you're in the heat of the school year by October. The newness of the beginning of school has faded away. The first grading period report cards may be finalizing soon. You're officially teacher-tired, the kids are testing your classroom manag…

Close Reading with Ease, Episode #1: "The Widow and Her Farm"

No matter what content area you teach, READING IS KING. Even my beloved math teachers out there need their kiddos to be able to read word problems. Like everything in life, reading improves with PRACTICE-- Practice makes improvement (not perfect-- ugh, I hate that haha). As an English/lan…

Teacher Summer

It's summer.  The part of the year when "teachers have off work". Let's cut that bullshit right now-- if you're reading this blog, you know that is the #1 farse about the teaching profession. Even if you did give yourself a break, (BTW, you better give yourself a f…