As a basketball coach, March is one of my favorite months. Anytime I turn on the tv, there is a great college basketball game. Duke-North Carolina, Kentucky-Tennessee, Michigan-Michigan State. Conference tournaments. And, of course, the big dance of them all, the NCAA Tournament. March is also one of my favorite months in the classroom. Each … Continue Reading
I am a huge proponent of choice reading, but sometimes the whole class novel is necessary. A common text allows us to think through character development, plot and structure, and thematic ideas over the course of a few hundred pages and a few weeks. This slow burn and thinking on one central work usually has … Continue Reading
Before I became a teacher I dreamed about my classroom. I imagined my students arriving each day with anticipation in their eyes and wonder in their hearts. I envisioned a room with hands in the air, thoughtful discussions, and signs of fascination and curiosity. I pictured students glued to their seats when the bell rang … Continue Reading
Denise Trach teaches a variety of English classes at Carmel High School in Carmel, NY. Her work on mindfulness – with both students and teachers – is an inspiration to all. You can connect with her on Twitter, IG, or find out more about her on her personal blog. 1. Walk us through a great … Continue Reading
Susan’s note: This post is written by Adrian Nester who put some thoughts on paper after the pilot reading. I have added a few ideas which are in italics and a teaching point for each path. Before launching into this, I want this sophisticated point (haha) to guide your approach to Row C in the classroom: Do not … Continue Reading
When Brian posted Three Acronyms for Literary Analysis, I knew immediately that I would follow with Quick and Easy Ways into a Poem. This was by far one of the most popular posts on APLitHelp (#RIP) and with good reason. They’re quick, and they’re easy. Many students approach poetry reluctantly feeling inadequate to make sense … Continue Reading
My students summarize, I want them to analyze. This is the battle I face every year. This comes out most often when they get their essays back. They are hoping that I recognized and rewarded their brilliance. But when I conference with students about their work, and we put their essay under a microscope, they … Continue Reading
Eric Rovie teaches AP Literature, AP Language, and 10th Grade Gifted Language Arts at Brookwood High School in Snellville, GA. He also works for GwinnettCounty Public Schools as a Gifted Endorsement instructor, training GCPS teachers to teach gifted students. He is also a veteran AP Literature Reader, a participant in 2020’s AP Literature Pilot Reading, an AP Literature Consultant … Continue Reading
I recently commented on a post in the Facebook group and had several people ask for directons, so I thought I would share on the site. Actually, I searched and was surprised that I haven’t shared Bookshaps here before. I decided to do BookSnaps after hearing my friend Sarah Soper excitedly talk about them. I was looking … Continue Reading
Last week a few people gathered for a pilot reading for AP Literature in order to gather projections for how many readers would be needed as well as reviewing the new rubric and questions that may bring up during calibration. Eric Rovie and Adrian Nester on Q1 has shared several takeaways listed here which are … Continue Reading
