When choosing literature for your students to read and discuss, there's always much discussion about selecting books in which the students can see themselves. When they can relate to the characters in a book -- due to their environment, character traits, or life experiences -- students become more interested in the larger discussion. However, many teachers […]

It’s been a minute (as our students would say) since I’ve published an episode of this podcast, but recent changes in my career have afforded me more time and fortitude to confront these issues directly. In this episode, I am honored to interview Dani Nagel-O'Rourke who is the English department chair at an Oklahoma suburban […]

One of the most important things teachers can do is impact students’ lives by creating spaces for them to discover their passions and use their voices. This is integral for student success—especially for students who struggle in the confining spaces many schools create.  My  guest, despite successful leadership in and out of the classroom, found […]

[prettyfilelink size=”115 KB” src=”https://www.rethinkela.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ep12-Hugh-Hunter.pdf” type=”pdf”]Ep12-Hugh Hunter Transcript[/prettyfilelink] Knowing their reading audience helps authors to craft their books and create their story arcs. Understanding the pain points of their audience and the problems they struggle with the most helps to identify which topics should be included in the manuscript.  Similarly, teachers need to know their students […]

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, […]

[prettyfilelink size=”95 KB” src=”https://www.rethinkela.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Ep010DiscussionTQEwithMarisaThompson.pdf” type=”pdf”]Download PDF Transcript[/prettyfilelink]   So much scrutiny is placed upon teachers and the classroom these days, especially when it comes to how students are learning critical thinking skills – or IF they're learning critical thinking skills. Sometimes the “old school” ways of teaching simply don't work and new techniques need to […]

Have you ever thought back to when you were in school and how you learned the rules of grammar and how to write? What techniques did your teachers use? Do you find that you're implementing those exact same rules in your own classroom today? Some things bear updating and the ways in which we teach […]

When I talk to other teacher friends, a common concern seems to be how to get our students engaged in the classroom lessons. So many students seem apathetic about their education, and it's up to us to be creative in piquing their interest. One such way to engage kids and to teach them a multitude […]

Every single person on this earth has a voice. They have a unique story to be told. But how many of us actually use our voices and make our stories, thoughts, and opinions known to others? So many adults grow up thinking their voices don't matter or that their opinions are unimportant. Some even believe […]

How would your students react if you didn't give them any parameters for a project and simply told them to “figure it out”? Is this asking for trouble by putting the kids in charge of the classroom or is it an exercise in critical thinking and collaboration? In traditional classrooms, students are often given a […]