Ideas from the Blog

I've never shied away from technology in the classroom.  I've had a class website for years, one that I used as a place to update and remind students about homework and assignments.  Several years ago, I started using it as a place for students to interact with each other.  It worked … [Read more...] about Why I’m switching from a class website to Google Classroom

Monday we will begin our first full week of the second semester. My grade ten class will still be in "warm up mode"; I'm setting the tone and pace of what I want our class to be like. I love a class full of discussion and critical thinking, but grade tens are not always ready to do that.  Often, … [Read more...] about This Week in Room 213: Idea Development & Discourse

It's the first day of second semester.  Luckily my IB class stays with me all year, so I don't have a full slate of new classes to meet.  As you know, it takes a lot more energy to put on your "show" for a group of kids you don't know, so it's nice to have one class of familiar faces to … [Read more...] about Second Semester Getting to Know You

The new semester is about to start, but not before the craziness of getting our students ready for exams, and the hours spent marking final assessments.  The beginning of the new semester is just like it is in the fall, but this time we aren't going into it well rested as we are in … [Read more...] about Get Ready for the New Semester: 3 Easy Tips

Second semester starts for me on Wednesday.  Out with the old, in with the new. Students will come to us, fresh from writing exams for their first semester classes, hopefully ready to dive into their new classes.Even though it's a time to begin again, it's also important to look back. … [Read more...] about STUDENT REFLECTION

I have many things to celebrate right now, one of which is the close of a successful semester with my students. It's always sad to see them move on, but it's also fun to start again. One of the great things about teaching high school is that we get a fresh start in the middle of the winter, with a … [Read more...] about CELEBRATE AND WIN!

My eleventh grade IB students just wrote their final assessment for first semester, a 1500 word essay based on a prompt that required them to find a link between two of the texts we read this semester. We've been hammering away at the skills they need to do well in the final IB assessments next … [Read more...] about Formative Feedback…After the Essay

My students are busy finishing their final assessments as the semester closes.  All my classes end with a written assignment and a presentation, rather than a traditional exam, so students have a chance to put their everything (I hope) into revising and editing their final products.We've done a … [Read more...] about Revision Reminders

It's a stressful time of year for high school students. The semester is ending and exams are quickly approaching. Those who did little all year are in full blown panic mode (or should be) and the over-achievers are little balls of stress, worried that they won't be able to reach their goals. … [Read more...] about Helping Teens Manage Stress

It seems like an odd thing to do: plan to be sick.  In fact, those of us who work in germ factories hope to avoid it at all costs.  But it happens, precisely because we do work in germ factories.  Twenty-thirty bodies jammed in one hot room, using the same door knob, pencil … [Read more...] about PLANNING TO BE SICK?

My students are beginning preparations for debates, and are busy bouncing around ideas and doing some initial research. In the meantime, I'm planning mini-lessons to help them build the skills they need to be successful. One area that tends to be the weakest for them is the rebuttal process. … [Read more...] about Getting Ready to Debate

Starting back to class after Christmas break can be an exercise in frustration. Finals are looming and you're looking out at the blank faces of students who have been used to sleeping in and doing what they want for the past few weeks. And there you are, faced with the tasks of finishing your … [Read more...] about Get Your Students Focused After The Break