student engagement – taking back teaching

The Sound Track of Survival

Pieces of a Puzzle

If I said education was like a big puzzle and every piece is important, I’m fairly certain most of you reading would close the tab to this post faster than a student closing out of an unapproved website as the teacher walks by… Before you hit that X, bear with me… In the puzzle thatContinue reading “Pieces of a Puzzle”

Level Up.

I can’t say that Tik-Tok trends are ever a good thing…but sometimes, I can work with the sounds they give my students. One of those popular and trending sounds? Ciara’s song “Level Up.” In an attempt to reach my students and show them the importance of developing a growth mindset and becoming self-efficacious, I useContinue reading “Level Up.”

Easy On Me.

Yesterday I heard Adele’s new song “Easy on Me” for the first time… It doesn’t matter where you are in life, Adele always finds a way to hit you right. in. the. feels. However, a song that is clearly about her romantic relationship ending somehow hit me in a very different way. From the veryContinue reading “Easy On Me.”

The Most Dangerous…Freshmen?

The very first story I teach every year is Richard Connell’s, The Most Dangerous Game. Not only does it allow for fantastic learning opportunities with conflicts, characterization, figurative language, and imagery, but it also allows for fun! Come senior year, my students always remember reading that “story with the guy who hunts people”. Before weContinue reading “The Most Dangerous…Freshmen?”