As a 6th grade teacher, I have the hardest time finding books that challenge my students to think critically without crossing the line into mature content. YA novels can be some of the most violent, steamy, and explicit books on …
Category: Teacher’s Corner
Seven Icebreaker Ideas for the First Day of School
August is officially here, which marks the dreadful end of summer vacation. So, what can you expect on your first day back at school? Icebreakers, and lots of them. And if you’re anything like me, the thought of yet another …
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3 Important Ways to Brighten the Future of Reading in the U.S.
Reading a great book for pleasure can be a magical experience for kids. It takes them to new places, lets them relive history, and teaches them about worlds they would never encounter in real life. Unfortunately, a study on the …
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Shakespeare Lives! Making the Bard Relevant to Your Millennial Students
In “Home-Thoughts, from Abroad,” Victorian poet Robert Browning declares wistfully, “Oh, to be in England / Now that April’s there . . .” Well, it’s April again, and this month would be an especially great time to be in England since …
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Spring Cleaning Your Lesson Plans
The term “spring cleaning” often evokes the image of a jam-packed closet, filled with items that have accumulated over time and that may or may not still be useful. Spring cleaning usually isn’t associated with lesson plans, but it’s a …
Teacher’s Corner: Helping Students Understand and Appreciate Cultural Diversity
The world has been getting smaller for some time. It now seems to be shrinking at warp speed, rapidly erasing the last vestiges of cultural isolation. Never has it been more important to understand other cultures and to recognize and …
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eNotes Homework Help: December Discussion Starters
Our Homework Help service helps students and teachers on their toughest academic questions. Our Educators have answered more than 300,000 questions–some straightforward with decidedly black/white answers, and others more open to interpretation and, consequently, discussion. Each month we’re compiling some of our favorite …
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Selling Your Students On Your Lesson
A lot of teachers struggle with getting their students interested and engaged in lessons. Here are some practical tips to encourage more participation, interest, and knowledge retention.