Remembering the Best Teacher
My first-grade teacher was Miss Glennah Powers. She made me feel very special because she would tell me that I was a good, smart student and would go far.
Writing
That’s a Rap: Using Hip-Hop as a Tool for Learning
I, among other things, define myself as a rapper, and it’s a fact of which my students are all too aware.
The Value of Diversity: A Poetic Celebration of Asian Heritage Month
In honour of Asian American Heritage Month, which is celebrated every May, I tasked the students in my three Asian American Literature classes with a special project.
Living Language: A New Vision for Teaching Grammar
In the K–12 setting, grammar instruction can be tedious and demoralizing. Too often it becomes an exercise in red-lining students' mistakes.
No Brainer: AI in the Classroom
Many AI products impact and improve our daily lives. These AI technologies and products may be beneficial to the teachers in the classroom.
Using Urban Legends to Engage Struggling Readers
After teaching high school reading intervention courses for many years, I know that starting with a novel is a mistake—it’s too long. Instead, I use urban legends.
Why Students Hate Writing (From Someone Who Teaches It)
Every year, almost every student says, “I suck at writing. I hate it.” I hear this phrase far more than “Hello,” “Thank you,” or even “Can I use the restroom?”
Expressive Writing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
My students needed to experience success. And they needed to see that their writing could impact a broader audience than the one held captive each day in their classroom.
Teaching the Real Purpose of Writing
In English classes, which require students to sit and read or write for extended periods of time, it can be challenging to get them to want to do their work.
“But I’m just not a good writer”
As soon as I utter the words “writing assignment,” a look of panic appears on my students’ faces. Their hands shoot up like rockets and the questions immediately start.