With National Poetry Month underway, the authors of this post wanted to share why we read, write, and teach poetry. The curriculum in today’s English Language Arts classroom is often over packed, and poetry offers an immediate entry to a classroom experience that allows young people to be critical and reflective thinkers. In a time …
Continue reading The Whys of Poetry: Affordances of Poems in the Classroom and Life
Tara B. Johnston, PhD is an assistant professor of education at York College of Pennsylvania. She is a former elementary school teacher, reading interventionist, and literacy specialist. Her research interests include content literacy practices, teacher knowledge and beliefs in relation to literacy, and pre-service teacher training in literacy instruction. Tara JohnstonImage Credit: Emily Rund The …
Continue reading Rereading and Annotation to Support Secondary Reading and Writing
Jim Burke, an English teacher at Middle College at the College of San Mateo, has been teaching for more than twenty-five years, and has written more than twenty-five books about teaching and literacy. He has received numerous awards, including the Exemplary Leadership Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the Distinguished Service Award …
Continue reading UNCHARTED TERRITORY: Working with Nonfiction
Kate Hoffman has taught for 25 years across public and private schools and at many levels—middle school, high school, and college. For many years she taught AP® Literature and Composition, and she currently teaches in Central Pennsylvania. In her spare time, she enjoys going to thrift stores, antique stores, and independent bookstores. She writes regularly …
Continue reading Don’t Teach in a Vacuum: How Literary Nonfiction Prepares Us for Major Works
Melissa Alter Smith is a high school English teacher in Charlotte, where she earned the 2017 District Teacher of the Year, as well as an AP® Reader and AP® Consultant. She is the creator of #TeachLivingPoets and TeachLivingPoets.com. Melissa is co-author of Teach Living Poets, and the Norton Guide to AP® Literature. Melissa was on …
Continue reading #TeachLivingPoets: Activities for Equity in Poetry
Susan Barber teaches AP® English Literature at Midtown High School in Atlanta, Georgia, and serves as the College Board Advisor for AP® Literature and on the NCTE Secondary Steering Committee. She, however, is most proud of the work she does on a daily basis in E216 and never tires of the beauty and chaos of …
Jim Burke, an English teacher at Middle College at the College of San Mateo, has been teaching for more than twenty-five years, and has written more than twenty-five books about teaching and literacy. He has received numerous awards, including the Exemplary Leadership Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the Distinguished Service …
Continue reading Personal and Professional Reading: Making Time for What We Love Most
Jim Burke, an English teacher at Middle College at the College of San Mateo, has been teaching for more than twenty-five years, and has written more than twenty-five books about teaching and literacy. He has received numerous awards, including the Exemplary Leadership Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the Distinguished Service Award …
Continue reading A Weekly Poem: Strengthening Your Students’ Attention