Creative English Teacher

Why Young People Need Hero Stories Now More Than Ever

April 13, 2020 • Encouragement • Five Reasons To Teach Series • Mythology • Teaching Ideas • The Hero's Journey

Navigating the journey of life is tough, and students need to be prepared. As schools build up their support systems, there is an additional (and perhaps unexpected) way to fortify young people against the challenges of life: teach them hero stories.

How To Add Our Materials to Google Classroom

March 30, 2020 • Digital Classrooms

As more and more educators transition to digital classroom platforms such as Google classroom, several teachers have asked me the best way to use the digital resources available on this site on web-based platforms. So here is a step-by-step guide for using PDFs in Google Classroom.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Teaching from Home Ideas

March 17, 2020 • Encouragement • Teacher Life • Teaching Ideas

We are the midst of a historic event. Now that many states are shutting down schools and looking at online teaching options, there are many swirling questions about education: When will we go back to school? How will learning continue in the meantime? I feel for the high-school students who have to face the possibility of missing proms, sporting events, performances, and graduations. As troubling as all this uncertainty is, here is an encouraging thought: Historic events like this one tend to reshape how we view our world and each other. Many previous generations have been defined by the obstacles they...

Ten Reasons for Teaching Moby Dick

December 16, 2019 • American Literature • Five Reasons To Teach Series

Most people probably wouldn’t equate Moby Dick with fun, but it’s honestly my favorite work to teach. Here are ten reasons why.

"Hey, You Used To Be My Teacher!"

October 28, 2019 • Encouragement • Teacher Life

Comments from previous students have shown me that more often than not, it was my throw-away comments and actions—the things I said or did in a completely forgettable moment (to me)—that stays with them the rest of their lives.