Creative English Teacher — Teaching Ideas

Did you miss Part I? It is here. Every case starts with a mystery–or in our case, a question: Why do we teach writing? Is it because students will need to know how to write in college? So they can get a good job? Or is it something deeper?” The reason I teach writing–and why I enjoy reading my students’ writing–is because it is an expression of their thoughts. It’s a glimpse into their mind. Their soul. When my students write, I can hear their words expressing their ideas. Is it perfect? No, but even when writing is broken and...

When I first started teaching Mythology, I had the wacky idea of asking students to design a Barbie doll based on a female character from Greek mythology. Something about it seemed funny–contrasting the sugary sweetness of Barbie with the dark, unsettling world of myth

I am building an A.I.-resistant classroom. I’ve been told that it’s impossible to completely “A.I.-proof” my classroom, but I accept the challenge to resist it as much as possible. I want my students to use their own thoughts, write their own words, make their own mistakes, and become better human beings in the process.

When students feel they can no longer succeed, they give up. That’s why there should always be a Mario Kart catch-up opportunity baked into your course design.

It’s tough recommending educational reading to teachers. We are busy people. And although a lot of educational books have merit, sometimes reading 200 pages only yields a handful of usable ideas. There is a ton of educational research out there waiting to impact your classroom, but how do you find the time? I’ve often wished there was a way to access it in a concise and practical way. That’s why I was excited when I discovered DistillED, a FREE email newsletter by Australian educator Jamie Clark.