Creative English Teacher — The Hero's Journey

Through the Labyrinth: Teaching Text Structure and Point of View Using the Greek Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur

November 01, 2025 • Gamification • Heroes and Monsters • Mythology • Teaching Ideas • The Hero's Journey

Every year when I reach “Theseus and the Minotaur” in my Greek mythology heroes unit, I can almost predict the reaction: “Oh, imagine that. Another hero fighting another monster.” Fair enough—after three weeks of one hero after another, even a classic myth can feel cliché. That’s why I started asking myself: How can I make this story feel fresh again? The answer led me down two different creative pathways—each a unique take on how students experience story structure and point of view.

Give Barbie a Mythic Makeover: A New Creative Project

August 28, 2025 • Heroes and Monsters • Mythology • Teaching Ideas • The Hero's Journey

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

The Enchanting History of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice": Teaching the Various Adaptations of This Famous Folktale by Integrating Poetry, Music, and Art

January 07, 2025 • British Literature • Heroes and Monsters • Mythology • Readers Theater Script-Stories • The Hero's Journey • World Literature

While many folktales have been adapted over the centuries, none has a richer (and varied) list of adaptations than "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." This post explores the classic folktale "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," its many adaptations (including a Reader's Theater script-story version), Paul Dukas's classical masterpiece based upon it, and Walt Disney's innovative masterpiece Fantasia (1940)—along with strategies for teaching these various adaptations in a classroom setting. You will see that "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is perfect for a lesson integrating literature, folklore, poetry, music, and art.

Five Reasons to Teach The Prince of Egypt (1998)

November 04, 2024 • Five Reasons To Teach Series • The Hero's Journey • World Literature

DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt (1998) is an animated classic, and its powerful retelling of the story of Moses is the perfect way for students to experience this world-famous epic.

How To Write a Book for Kids

August 03, 2020 • Mythology • The Hero's Journey • World Literature • Writing

Do you have a book for kids you've always wanted to write? Perhaps these 10 tips will help you achieve your dream!