Experienced adult writers are intimidated by the NaNoWriMo project, which entails writing a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. Who thought up such an event when writing is usually a much longer labor of love? Now imagine the faces of 8th graders when presented with this project? A teaching veteran of 30 years, […]
How To Build Confidence And Stamina In Student Writers
In public schools across our country, many students arrive in middle and high school classes lacking confidence in their writing skills and in their ability to craft texts more intricately constructed than a five-paragraph essay. “Three-quarters of both 12th and 8th graders lack proficiency in writing, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational […]
reThink ELA #005: Interview with Scott Bayer
How much time do you allow your students to write in class? What is the appropriate amount of time you think kids need to write? Or are you so busy lecturing (Just say no!) that you send them home to do their writing? While the appropriate amount of writing time may be arbitrary and subjective […]
How To Teach Adichie’s “The Danger Of A Single Story” For High School Students
Over the past several days, I’ve watched on Twitter and Facebook as groups of people have heralded the National Football League players as they’ve taken a knee to protest social and racial injustice while opposing groups have accused the players of disrespecting the national anthem, the American flag, and veterans. President Trump suggested that players who […]
To Err Is Human (Unless You’re An English Teacher Or Writer)
As a writer and English teacher, I want my writing to be perfect. Many of our students want the same thing. We all want what we see or hear in our heads to be exactly what we put onto paper, and this is doubly true for the writing we put online for the entire world to […]