I couldn’t resist creating another post about the children’s classic novel, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Writing about it last week reminded me of fun moments in my classroom when my sixth graders and I analyzed the novel. We drew a Ferris wheel on the chalkboard (yes, I’m that old) and placed the characters from…
All posts tagged #writingteacher
Art in the Classroom: Norman Rockwell’s High Dive
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Art in the English Classroom, Teacher Tuesday, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
Norman Rockwell’s High Dive is the perfect choice for a ‘back to school’ writing assignment. Writing prompts can be: what I did over the summer; when I did something I was afraid of; when I accepted a dare; when I did something because everyone else was doing it. The possibilities are endless. The boy’s expression…
Short Story Spotlight: “Hearts and Hands” by O. Henry
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Short Story Spotlight, Teacher Resources, Teacher TuesdayLeave a Reply
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…
Artist’s Date: a quest for short stories
On a recent outing to The Strand bookstore in Manhattan, I purchased four collections of short stories. Writing short stories has its own distinct challenges that differ from writing novels, and a shorter word count does not make it easier. The pacing of a short story is a particularly tricky skill. Many short stories take…
Writing Resource: How to Write Short Stories and Get Them Published by Ashley Lister
I thought that after writing, three novels writing a short story would be simple. I would easily crank out a short story each month to submit for publication or a contest. Little did I know that while the literary components of a short story are similar to those in a novel, writing them is a…
Teacher Resource: “Tender” by Cherline Bazile
Teachers, looking for a short story that can evolve into a two or three day lesson? Take a look at “Tender” by Cherline Bazile, which appears in The Best American Short Stories, 2023. Bazile’s story tells of two Black immigrant students who become friends in their predominantly white high school. The story details the girls’…
Writing News: I am a published poet!
I am proud and humbled to have two poems published in the 2024 Caldwell University literary magazine, Calyx. While my primary focus is fiction, life events inspire me to wax poetic once in a while. One poem, “A Little Bit of Everything” is a memory of my grandmother and all the little things about her…
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…
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…
