It seems like it's getting harder and harder to get students to speak in front of the entire class. Learn some strategies to make it easier for kids to share their thoughts.

Instead of listing literary techniques, students should focus on determining their purpose and function. I reduce it to three main purposes to make it easy.

Start the year with a personal narrative and your students will understand what makes a great story. Or maybe it will help them get into college.

Start this school year by having more fun and experiencing less stress. I have three main techniques to get you on your way.

All of your students may not be as obsessed with novels as you are. Free Literacy Blocks will rope in the kids who want to talk about modern topics.

End the year with a creative podcast project instead of a traditional essay.

Students want to find meaning in literature, and they can do it with the three P's of relevance: the personal, the political, and the philosophical.

Learn how to close read film like you close read a poem. Your students will love it and it's an important life skill.

Mini conferences gives your students time to research and write and get verbal feedback as they plan their next steps. Hear about my latest writing assignment.

Teachable moments should be part of our daily approach to teaching fiction, but what are they and how can we talk about them?