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
Category: Assessments
It Only Takes One Page- Assessing English Students with a One Pager
How do you assess? Do you go by how much time it takes to grade? Do you make your students write an essay because you need a writing sample for data? Do you give them a project you can glance at, use a rubric, and assign a grade? Full Disclosure Full disclosure- in my 19… Continue reading It Only Takes One Page- Assessing English Students with a One Pager
Students Don’t Need to Write- Assessing Theme and Symbolism with Art
Whoa! An English teacher writing a blog post about not writing? What kind of alternate dimension have we entered? But it's true. I learned a valuable lesson last year, and I know it's one that could benefit other teachers, so I thought I'd share my experience. First off, if you don't know me, I… Continue reading Students Don’t Need to Write- Assessing Theme and Symbolism with Art
Didn’t I Teach You That? Realizing Your Child Might Not Be Ready to Adult
Imagine the horrifying moment in a parent's life when they realize their child doesn't know something really basic, say, where to put a stamp on an envelope (yep, that one is true). How about activating a credit card? (also true) You'd think the big white sticker on the front would be self-explanatory, wouldn't you? Or… Continue reading Didn’t I Teach You That? Realizing Your Child Might Not Be Ready to Adult
Everybody’s a Critic- Literary Analysis for Secondary English
One of the things I haven't addressed with a project before this year is literary criticism. Since I'm teaching freshmen this year at my school, one that allows me plenty of autonomy, I thought I would try to find something besides the requisite essay for my students to do as an assessment. Well, there wasn't… Continue reading Everybody’s a Critic- Literary Analysis for Secondary English