7 Ways to Teach the ELECTION in English Classes

8th Grader {looking confused}: "Mrs. H, I thought I really liked this speech by my favorite candidate... But, like, the WHOLE thing is basically just, like, fallacies."

Me {biting my tongue}: "Huh, that's interesting. Why do you think that happened?"

Teaching Halloween Activities to Older Students

Thinking ahead for Halloween? Not sure if you can (or want to) squeeze the holiday into your class?

Many secondary "big kids" would LIKE to celebrate (especially since October 31st is a Monday this year!), but I know that you need an activity that will still be academically meaningful, too. Here are a few ideas for ELA activities, depending on what standard, objective, amount of time, and/or difficulty level you want to take on!

8+ Tips for Secondary English SUB PLANS

Caught the flu from a family member? Don't sweat it (pun intended) - you've got more options for prepping your substitute teacher than you think.

Although I'm not a substitute teacher myself, I teach in a building that has a REALLY hard time getting enough substitute teachers, so I've *somewhat* been in that role by filling in for other teachers, both planned in advance or at the last minute. 

If you're in a middle or high school setting, you've probably noticed that the primary world seems to have cutesy solutions all over Pinterest for substitute teachers, and our sphere is more silent on this topic. 

News Flash: You don't need a cute "sub tub", or even a perfect printed pile of lessons on your desk when the other teacher walks in the door. But there are a few things that ARE essential before you're gone for any length of time.