Creative English Teacher

Five Reasons for Teaching Early American Literature

October 03, 2019 • American Literature • Five Reasons To Teach Series

Teaching Early American Literature isn’t easy. Native American literature covers many different tribal traditions and customs, so where do you start? Even those who deeply respect the Puritans, probably can’t categorize their writings as “fun.” And the more you learn about the first explorers here in America, the more you seem to dislike them. So why not just skip America’s early years? Aren’t they just our country’s awkward transition time? Well, not exactly.

Great Short Stories to Teach to High-Schoolers

September 30, 2019 • Short Stories • Teaching Ideas

I’d like to share with you a list of my favorite short stories to teach to high-schoolers. This list might surprise you—not because of what is listed, but because of what isn’t.

Five Reasons For Teaching Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

September 21, 2019 • British Literature • Five Reasons To Teach Series

Medieval British Literature might not be your thing, but it’s time to give the Pearl Poet’s masterpiece Sir Gawain and the Green Knight a second look! Here are five reasons to teach Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

A Message from My Podium: My Teaching Philosophy

August 14, 2019 • Encouragement • Teaching Ideas

Recently, I was asked to write up my philosophy of education. I hadn't done this since my college days. (You know, before I knew anything about teaching!) Needless to say, a few things have changed about my philosophy. To structure my philosophy, I used the three messages on my classroom podium, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Those messages were created by my wife, who has them in her classroom as well. (I'm a copycat.) So here is my philosophy of teaching. Hopefully, it will reinforce in your mind what an important job we have as teachers! Across...

What Every Teacher Can Learn from the Old-School EPCOT Center

July 19, 2019 • Creativity

Whether or not you have walked beneath the giant golf ball at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT theme park yourself (its correct name is “Spaceship Earth” by the way), every teacher can learn a few lessons from this theme park. I use the term “EPCOT Center,” even though the park dropped the “center” from the name along the way, because in its heyday (the 1980’s and 90’s) EPCOT was a much different park—solely dedicated to a noble purpose: educating children today to make a better tomorrow. Over the years the focus of the park has shifted, leaving a large part of...