Tips and ideas for teaching high school ELA
Satire has long been the go-to vehicle for criticism and mockery. Whether it’s a scathing report on a political event or a good-natured parody, satire is all around us – in TV, movies, print. One of the most famous works of satire is Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”, with its
If you’ve ever looked at your high school students and thought, “How on earth do I get them to buy into and get invested in a text?”, I have one word for you. Podcasts. And if you want one that’ll hook them from the first word? May I present to
Teaching Edgar Allan Poe typically produces one of two reactions: excitement over creepy and morbid stories, or dread over dated language and rambling sentences – mixed with the belief that these stories are simply unrelatable. But here’s the thing—Poe’s world of madness, guilt, and mystery still resonates deeply with
When it comes to teaching focused English classes (like American or British lit), there are typically two camps of thought – teaching chronologically and teaching thematically. For many teachers, district/state mandated curriculum = teaching chronologically. And as a result, the first unit is usually early America. But. Let’s face it.
When most teachers are planning their “American Dream” unit, they turn to one of two novels – The Great Gatsby or Of Mice and Men. Both novels are relatively short; Gatsby has around 180 pages, OMAM has just over 100. Both contain beautiful language that’s perfect for author’s craft analysis.
Back-to-school season is always such a hectic time of year. New rosters. New faces. Sometimes new curriculum (been there, done that). Add to that classroom set up (assuming you actually have time to do that), beginning of the year meetings, PD, and those bloodborne pathogen videos everyone loves (bonus points
If you’ve ever taught an American literature course, chances are you’ve taught Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God – either as part of an Early America unit or in conjunction with The Crucible. Let’s be honest. Teaching Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God can feel intimidating—for
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