As an English teacher, teaching writing and supporting developing writers is paramount. I want to see my students write regularly and hone their skills to communicate meaningful ideas. However, every essay means time for me to read, make comments, and this usually means sacrificing hours of personal …

When I entered the teaching profession in 1998, I envisioned building relationships with students, discussing the intricacies of stories, and inspiring students to explore literature. I imagined my students developing into expressive writers who articulated their deepest thoughts with eloquence. In short, they would become lifelong readers and writers.

In our dream we have limitless resources, and the people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hand. The present educational conventions fade from our minds; and, unhampered by tradition, we work our own good will upon a grateful and responsive rural …

My greatest shame as a teacher stems from my past grading practices. At the time, I was certain it was my role to protect perfection. I believed it would drive students to go beyond their current ability and seek ways to express themselves more effectively. I had it in my mind that rigor meant setting …

A teacher catches a student plagiarizing a major essay. An initial reaction is often, "How could he do this to me?" The teacher may feel violated and even want retribution. In an attempt to seek justice, she gives her student a zero and a referral. All too often, this is the default response to cheating. …

There are way too many lies educators tell students and they simply need to end. If you don't go to college... Try this experiment. Ask a class to complete the following statement: "If you don't go to college you'll end up working at..." In unison, learners will say "McDonald’s." Now, this is a twofold lie. …

I've had issues with the traditional four-point rubric because, despite their attempt to be objective, they end up limiting a teacher's ability to provide students with personalized feedback. The Single-Point Rubric simply identifies the objectives of an assignment but allows the teacher to assess a limitless spectrum of possible responses students can offer.