Some of my colleagues were complaining recently that kids today don’t have much in the way of grit, meaning that…
So You Want to Be President?
Ah, politics. Everywhere you turn, folks are questioning the qualifications and competencies of each of the current candidates for the…
The End of Standardized Tests?
We’ve been seeing it for the last year or so: the education pendulum on the verge of swinging. Standardized testing,…
Act Aloud Plays
That you’re visiting my blog tells me you’re most likely already a fan of reader’s theater, so I needn’t tell…
How to Host an “Old School” Writers’ Festival
When seven-year-old Kelsey Drake stepped to the microphone, she hesitated. Perhaps she felt nervous about presenting her writing before such…
Bart Simpson: Smarter? Balanced?
Springfield, Oregon, has made national news for something other than being the birthplace of Bart Simpson. The Springfield School District…
Nine Ways to Prepare for a Sub
1. Don’t. Ignore that cough. Cancel that meeting. Show up to class with a box of Kleenex and a bottle…
Why You Should Teach Baseball on April 15th
The Major League Baseball season is underway, which seems a trivial point in the broad scheme of academics. Yet were…
Desk Rent is Due Friday!
No doubt you’ve had kids ask, “Why do we need to know this stuff?” In my classroom, we spend a…
What’s Hindering Your Low Readers?
Perhaps many of you have figured this stuff out long ago. Me, after nearly 25 years of teaching, I recently…
