It's a new year; it's a fresh start. As millions of American students head (somewhat grudgingly) back to school after the winter break, teachers are faced with the unique challenge of redefining the classroom community after weeks apart. In my secondary classes, January is perhaps even more important than August in terms of developing classroom … Continue reading 3-2-1: Redefining My Teaching at Semester
Commandments of Teaching AP Language and Composition-Part Two
This is the second half of a two-part series about teaching AP Language and Composition. You can check out the first part here. Good feedback is everything. I still struggle with this, as feedback simply takes time (who has that?!). Some of the best feedback ideas I’ve learned came from a Marzano workshop. The highlights: … Continue reading Commandments of Teaching AP Language and Composition-Part Two
Commandments of Teaching AP Language and Composition-Part One
This fall, I've received many messages from new AP Language and Composition teachers who are trying to find their feet. After some reflection, I decided to offer a few of the ideas and processes that drive my teaching. This is a two-part series, and I will cover five "commandments" in each part. Look for the … Continue reading Commandments of Teaching AP Language and Composition-Part One
How I Got Here: My Journey to Teaching AP Language and Composition
It all started with rejection.