This post by Adrian Nester originally appeared on APLitHelp.com in March of 2019. I’ve added some additional resources at the end. When I received my copy of Terrance Hayes’ book American Sonnets for my Past and Future Assassin I decided that I wanted to freshen up my sonnet unit to look beyond the traditional sonnets. … Continue Reading
I teach a course that ends with a big standardized exam at the end. The first few years I taught it, I used to do test prep by the book. I gave my students a sample exam each quarter. They had 42 minutes to complete 40 of the 55 multiple-choice questions and I counted the … Continue Reading
I am the first to admit that sitting down to plan lessons is not my favorite part of teaching. I love spinning my wheels waxing creative about how I can make literature come alive for my students, yey all that energy takes place in my head rather than on paper. Almost every year I vow … Continue Reading
The poor short story – overlooked, under-appreciated, and neglected. Ask an English teacher what they teach and a litany of novels is sure to follow. Poetry has more prestige as well. Six poets have recited poems at presidential inaugurations, but no one has embraced the podium to read a short story. I, too, have brushed … Continue Reading
Our first poetry unit is Counting Descent by Clint Smith and our first official lesson on structure was this week. I LOVE teaching structure because it’s one of the few concepts that students have very little exposure to or experience with in their prior lit classes. If they have had experience with structure, few know … Continue Reading
Teaching tone is a difficult thing, especially to high schoolers. Since it is such a challenge, it doesn’t get its due diligence but it is one of the most important literacy skills a reader needs to possess. Here are some common problems I have run into in my classroom when teaching tone: They don’t know … Continue Reading
I know that your back pocket has a bunch of tried and true poems, but maybe there’s room for a few more. Here are five poems all written in the last 25 years that are hidden gems. Maybe you can unwind with one each day at the end of your teaching day. Maybe you want … Continue Reading
Susan’s note: I typically have Brian Hannon join my APSIs for session to show us around LMS Voice Curriculum, a site filled with poetry resources. Not only does the site have poetry lessons that are ready to go in the classroom (with a writing workshop lesson, a literary analysis lessons, an essay prompt for the … Continue Reading
May 1st. How in the world are we here? I had a hard time imaging making it to this point of the year in the late fall and early winter, but now that we’re here, I have no idea what kind of time machine I have been in for the last three months. My seniors … Continue Reading
So many big test tips are generic. They include things like “get a good night of sleep the night before,” “read the questions before the passage,” and “eliminate wrong answers.” Rarely, does those tips provide a strategic plan to make a major jump in the days leading up to the exam. Here are eight ways … Continue Reading
