Summer is the perfect time for teachers to look for new material to enhance their lessons for the upcoming year. As an educator in higher education, I have more flexibility than many teachers in middle school and high school. That being said, adding a short story or poem that is not in the curriculum may…
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Teacher Inspiration
Teacher Inspo: Hearing from a former student One of the best parts of being a teacher is hearing from a former student. Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending an art show for a former student who is graduating as an art major at Montclair State University. I was honored that Salena invited me, and…
Teacher Resource: All Thirteen by Christina Soontornvat
Teachers, looking for something different for the end of the school year? Immerse your classes in the incredible true account of the Thai boys’ soccer team that was trapped in a flooded cave six years ago with Christina Soontornvat’s All Thirteen. Their dramatic and risky (understatement) rescue is truly a miracle of people working together…
A Gem of a Poem: Do You Carrot All For Me? by Anonymous
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Gem of A Poem, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Teachers, looking for a creative poetry lesson? Try having students create poetry using homonyms – or near homonyms – that work together. “Do You Carrot All For Me?” is a perfect example. Students will see that the goal is not perfect matches, but words that go together in a theme that are close enough to…
Teacher Resource: Board Games to cure boredom
Teachers, looking for a “year in review” type of activity that will keep your classes engaged? Ask students to pick one reading from the school year – short story, novel, play – and turn it into a board game. Students can create a “Candy Land” type of path with symbols, colors, playing pieces, etc. This…
Teacher Tuesday: “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Classic to Consider, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Teachers, looking for a short story to teach symbolism? “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield (author of “A Dill Pickle”) may work nicely in your lessons. The story is also historical fiction – set after World War 1 in England – and would complement an historical unit on war. Mansfield’s word choices, details, and narrow point…
Teacher Resource: the “Idea Stone”
Teachers, looking for a different, tangible writing prompt? Try using an “Idea Stone,” as suggested by Ashley Lister in his book, How to Write Short Stories and Get Them Published. His suggestion is to bring in a stone and pass it around the room, and each student must offer a topic to write about that…
A Gem of a Poem: “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Gem of A Poem, Teacher Inspiration, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Robert Frost poetry is accessible to students, provides writing inspiration, and demonstrates a variety of poetic techniques. “Nothing Gold Can Stay” is a true gem for many reasons. Yes, it is quoted in S.E. Hinton’s YA novel, The Outsiders, but when fans of the book take pause and examine why Hinton chose this poem to…
Art in the Classroom: Starry Night by Van Gogh
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Art in the English Classroom, Teacher Inspiration, Teacher Tuesday, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
When I taught middle school, Fridays were days when I wanted to do something different. After sticking with the curriculum for the other four days of the week, I looked to Fridays for creativity, inspiration, a relaxed atmosphere. Often, we would arrange our desks in a circle rather than rows, and I would call our…
Art in the Classroom: Henri Matisse’s The Snail
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Art in the English Classroom, Teacher Inspiration, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Today I suggest using the colorful art of Henri Matisse in your English or language arts classroom. The piece that I have chosen, The Snail, is fun, bold, and daring. Much of Matisse’s work is less abstract, but I chose this one for its abstractness. Students could try to create a similar piece and let…
