I humbly suggest an alternative analogy for generative AI, more fitting for the classroom: the microwave. And to help me elaborate on this analogy, I want you to meet my mom.| moving writers
What can we say to students when they turn in writing that was clearly manufactured by AI?| moving writers
Mentor Text: Rod Serling’s closing narration from the Twilight Zone episode ‘The Monsters are Due on Maple Street’ Techniques: Conclusion Background – In my Grade 11 course, we focus on a theme of…| moving writers
Mentor Text: from The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig Techniques: Introduction Background – I’ve really gotten back into horror the last couple of years. I’ve reclaimed my status a Constant…| moving writers
Mentor Text: Prologue from Life Hacks for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin Techniques: Background – I cracked myself up recently. Because I obsessively open my Libby app to see what books are new at my libraries, I’m perpetually placing holds on titles that grab my interest in the slightest. And I don’t always read the […]| moving writers
Each Spring as I begin to move into my final units of the school year, most of the summative assessments that I’ve designed for students have been written assessments. Some years I’ve added in Socratic Seminars or other discussion formats. Other years we’ve had presentations. But, often I’m looking for some other assessments that break from these molds […]| moving writers
Mentor Text: ‘Here’ from Miles Morales: Suspended by Jason Reynolds Techniques: Setting Background – It’s April, so you know you’re only getting poetry inspired MTW posts. I’m writing this between …| moving writers
Mentor Text: ‘Younger Sister, Going Swimming’ by Margaret Atwood Techniques: Imagery Using Parentheses in Poetry Background – I’m writing this on the Monday of our Spring Break, which w…| moving writers
March 25, 2025 The college entrance essay: Should we teach it or shouldn’t we? This year, the guidance department of our high school, New Directions Secondary School in the Bronx, NY, asked me if I could teach a unit on the college entrance essay in our Juniors English class. In my career, the college entrance […]| moving writers
Mentor Text: from Indiana Jones and the White Witch by Martin Caidin Techniques: Background – If you’re a teacher and/or an avid reader, then we likely have some of the same habits. It’s likely that we haunt the same haunts – used bookstores and the book shelves of thrift shops. In my heart, I know that […]| moving writers
Mentor Text: excerpt from Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel Techniques: Imagery Building character Background – I’m noticing a trend. Pretty much every preface to Mentor Text Wednesday has me talki…| moving writers
If you’ve paid much attention to BookTok or even the shelves at your local bookstore, you’ve probably realized that romance is having a moment. And that moment extends far beyond the days of grocer…| moving writers
I heard Dance Monkey for the first time after watching the NYT analysis. My response was limited to “catchy and cool”. All my mentor texts are new to my ELLs and they read them for the …| moving writers
I know that I am “preaching to the choir” as we say in the South, but the start of school gets earlier and earlier every year. So let’s get moving quickly into something you can start working on DA…| moving writers
A guaranteed speed breaker when I enter a new school year, and meet a new batch of students with renewed enthusiasm is old errors. Do it enough over the years, and you might begin to realize that p…| moving writers
Mentor Text: like a paper cut by Lindsay Soberano Wilson Techniques: imagery simile Background – It’s one of those weeks when the business of the school year, and life, makes you think you sh…| moving writers
Source The end of the school year is here and I could not be more excited. I am not sure how you have been feeling this year, but this has not been my banner year. In fact, Taylor Swift’s Anti-hero…| moving writers
If you’ve read any of my articles before or know me as a teacher, you know I try to provide authentic, real-world experiences in my classroom whenever I can. I love when I have the opportunit…| moving writers
Kelly E. Tumy is a consultant in Texas, former president of TCTELA, one of five editors of the journal English in Texas. She was a 20-year high school English teacher, 8-year district coordinator, …| moving writers
Nearly eight years ago, I heard Rebekah O’Dell speak at a conference here in Los Angeles, and I was immediately struck by something. She didn’t sound like most keynote speakers. Instead…| moving writers
