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…
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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…
Perfect Pairings: “The Open Door” by H.H. Munro and The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Perfect Pairings, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Teachers often request a shorter work to pair with Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, and yesterday I found one. On the website, AmericanLiterature.com, I stumbled upon H. H. Munro’s “The Open Window,” and my first thought was that this would pair nicely with The Crucible. A young girl, alone with a guest, realizes that he…
A Classic to Consider: “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Classic to Consider, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
This time of year, reading teachers cannot help but think of the classic story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. The ideal short story, it contains identifiable literary techniques that students can discuss. The story is, however, somewhat dated. Not many of us can relate to cutting our hair and selling it to…
A Gem of a Poem: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Gem of A Poem, Teacher Inspiration, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
There are few poems or stories that I can remember reading for the first time, and Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” is one of them. I remember finding a picture book in the library of the poem. Each page had just a line or two with dark but vivid pictures illustrating the…
Art in the Classroom: Norman Rockwell’s The Jolly Postman
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Art in the English Classroom, Teacher Inspiration, Teacher Tuesday, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
‘Tis the season for motivating students with lessons that embrace the festivities of December because, let’s face it, we’re tired and they’re tired, and we are all in need of something fun to do in class. One option is to bring seasonal works of art to your lessons, and who better than Norman Rockwell to…
A Gem of a Poem: “Student of Clouds” by Billy Collins
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Gem of A Poem, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
Teachers who are looking for poems that straddle two subjects can rely on “Student of Clouds” by Billy Collins. The poem is printed in Collins’ collection, Sailing Alone Around the Room, New and Selected Poems, and is just one of several from the collection that students will find accessible. “Student of Clouds” begins with “The…
Teacher Inspo: The Ron Clark Story starring Matthew Perry
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Teacher Inspiration, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
A role seldom mentioned that Matthew Perry championed is his portrayal of Teacher of the Year, Ron Clark, who taught an at-risk class in the Bronx. The Ron Clark Story is an underdog-to-victor story, the hero’s journey in dire circumstances where kids are used to adults in their lives quitting on them. Clark believes in…
Perfect Pairing: “The Split Cherry Tree” by Jesse Stuart and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Teachers who are looking for a short story to pair with To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, may find that Jesse Stuart’s short story, “The Split Cherry Tree” works well. In the short story, the protagonist must stay late at school as punishment, which causes his hard-working father to make a visit to the…
