11 minute essay, Assessments, Secondary English, STAAR, state assessment, Test Prep, Texas

Timing is Everything- Using timed essays to teach expository writing

A few years ago I was teaching 9th grade. Of course this meant that I had to prepare the students for the expository essay portion of the English I EOC. From a friend, I heard about timed essays. Once I started using timed essays, I have never looked back. I have used them with 9th… Continue reading Timing is Everything- Using timed essays to teach expository writing

11 minute essay, Annotation, Assessments, Education, Grammar, High School, Middle School, Secondary ELA, Secondary English, state assessment, Test Prep, Texas

STAAR Prep for Secondary English- It’s never too early!

If you're like me, as soon as you return from holiday break you begin really thinking about STAAR prep, especially if you have an early test like I do. This 3rd quarter is down-to-business time for me because we don't have much time after spring break before we take our reading test. It's the same… Continue reading STAAR Prep for Secondary English- It’s never too early!

11 minute essay, Assessments, Education, High School, Middle School, Secondary ELA, Secondary English, state assessment, student needs, Teachers Pay Teachers, Teaching, Teaching tools, teaching writing, Texas, Uncategorized

Have Your Students Been Drafted?- Using the 11 minute essay to teach expository writing

Since I talked about timed expository/informational essays on Instagram , there has been some interest in an explanation of what it is, and how and why you should use it. I thought, instead of trying to explain it to each interested teacher, I would just write a post about the technique that has truly changed… Continue reading Have Your Students Been Drafted?- Using the 11 minute essay to teach expository writing