ELA – coyote chalk

An Earned Prize

When I graduated from high school in that section in the yearbook where graduates share their future dreams, I wrote that I hoped to someday win the Nobel Prize for Literature. My dream to change the world through story. I published a bit of poetry, wrote my thesis as a narrative, dabbled in prose, but I know deep in my… (read more)

Language of Hope

A few days ago while scrolling through a social media site, I noticed that a student I teach had posted a photo with, what I consider to be, an offensive word. It is not uncommon for me to connect with students on some social networking sites. I am as selective about who I connect with as I hope and try… (read more)

My Path

Dear Team, Today was the first time I have felt this undervalued as a teacher. And the truth, that’s not the case. It is just the case today. I was trained in the middle years program. This is a program with a focus on kids and curricula grades 6 to 9. Though the province lumps us in with the elementary… (read more)

Language Learning: Fall SLC

My grades 9/12 ELA classes have just finished student-led conferences. For the most part, during the conferences, I am a silent note-taker sitting at a different table. This fall conference marks the beginning of the second year with this group of kids, and the growth that I see in the ability of my kids to conference compared to last year… (read more)

The Conference: My Take Away

What is your take away? Do you know? I often suggest for my kids that a take away can be the big idea or the big feeling or the big change that stays with us. It is an aha knowing. Look back over the last ten months. Look back and ask what is your take away. As one of my… (read more)

Good Morning and Hello Story Starter

Fresh out of the shower this fine morning, I sat down to check my Google Reader updates. However, before I could started reading, there on my Google homepage slid in nicely in the National Geographic POD slop was this fantastic image. Aahh, I am in the midst of planning my first I-will-actually-teach-it-ELA-unit. With The Mysteries of Harris Burdick on my… (read more)