Discover yearbook theme ideas and development tips. Learn how to choose, design, and promote a meaningful theme that tells your school’s unique story.
Set your yearbook class up for success at the beginning of the year with 5 essential routines—from bell ringers to file organization—that keep students focused, organized, and deadline-ready.
Back-to-school teacher tips inspired by NYC! From classroom management to student engagement, here are 5 teaching strategies and creative ways to start the year strong that I learned from my trip to NYC!
If you're an ELA teacher looking for consistent, no-prep bell ringers for the entire year for middle or high school students, this post is your goldmine. With 36 weeks of grammar practice, writing prompts, poetry analysis, or reading comprehension activities, you’ll have your entire year of bell ringers planned!
If you're searching for classroom makeover ideas, growth mindset decor, or creative ways to organize your room for maximum impact, this plant-themed high school English classroom transformation is packed with inspiration.
Tired of hearing “I don’t get it” every time you teach a poem? This blog post shares 5 teacher-tested strategies that build student confidence before the confusion kicks in. From guided annotations to smart poem pairings, these moves help students approach poetry with curiosity instead of panic. Think: less frustration, more “aha!” moments.
Let me let you in on a little secret: I actually like test prep season! I don't love that students have to take the tests (we can discuss that another day), but what I love is that this time is when we can slow down and reflect. There's no more pressure to teach new material, and it's also a signal that the end of the year is near! However, I know that means students are also super close to done and prepping for tests can really start to wear them thin. That’s why I stick to test prep strategies that work—no fluff, no gimmicks, just solid, old-fashioned review. While flashy new methods come and go, the classic approach still delivers results. By focusing on structured review, targeted practice, and immediate feedback, we can keep students engaged without burning them out. Here’s how to make test prep both effective and manageable.
Providing effective academic feedback on writing is one of the most impactful ways educators can support student growth. Research and experience consistently show that timely, meaningful feedback clarifies expectations and helps students develop critical skills for success in writing and beyond. Whether you’re following evaluation rubrics like TEAM or preparing students for AP Language standards or EOC writing tests, creating a system for giving and receiving feedback is essential. In this post, I’ll summarize five key strategies to make academic feedback a game-changer in your classroom.
There are those times when "teachering" just isn’t optimal. What do I mean by that? "Teachering," as defined by me, involves delivering new material, expecting students to produce immediate results, or spending the entire class in direct instruction when students are already overloaded or overstimulated. These times include—but are not limited to—the days before a break, the holiday season, the week of a full moon, half days, or even the day after Halloween. During these moments, the best approach is to shift the focus away from you and onto your students. Let them lead, apply what they’ve already learned, reflect on their progress, and take ownership of their work. This hands-off teaching strategy creates a structured yet low-stress classroom environment where students stay calm, focused, and productive.
Browse Blog Post by Category!
