Creative English Teacher — Encouragement

Script-Stories: Making Reading an Experience Instead of a Struggle

November 10, 2018 • Encouragement • Readers Theater Script-Stories • Teaching Ideas

Just because in a traditional classroom students may be able to find the answers to multiple-choice questions by picking through a “reading” passage—ironically, without actually reading it—is this really what reading is all about? It may be a good test-taking skill, and it will hit the standards that we are supposed to cover. But what about those deeper, personal “standards” that we have secretly inside us? What about those of us who want our students to love literature?

Creative Innovator Profile: Mr. (Fred) Rogers

November 04, 2018 • Creativity • Encouragement • Innovators

Mr. Rogers’s creative idea was that television, which he personally did not enjoy, could be a tool for good. He wanted to educate, reassure, and heal the children of the world.

Mr. Zorn: A Tribute

October 01, 2018 • Creativity • Encouragement

The world is a little less today: Zorn has passed on from it. To the uninitiated, Zorn might seem like a sound effect from an old Batman fight scene, but it is a man’s name. Why should you know that name? Because Dan Zorn was the best teacher ever. No, he was never honored on national television. He never met Oprah. He never even won any local teaching awards that I’m aware of. Yet to me he will always be the greatest teacher ever. Mr. Zorn was a survivor of the Vietnam War. He came back with a few grisly...

Life Lessons from Classic American Literature

August 25, 2018 • American Literature • Encouragement

I created this infographic with some life lessons from classic American Literature. To see it actual full size, you might have to right-click it and save or open it in a new window. Enjoy! If you have time, leave me a comment below and tell me your favorite from this list!

The Fault, Dear Teachers...

October 05, 2017 • Creativity • Encouragement

I remember back to my first few years of teaching when my skin was still thin. I would spend tons of my free time developing what I considered to be a knock-out lesson only to have my students respond to it negatively. By responding negatively I do not mean rudeness or insubordination. I mean, boredom and apathy—two things I hate. And what was my response to their negative reaction? An even more negative one! I would allow my pride to get the better of me and went on the defensive. After all, didn’t I put all that time into the...