Simply Novel Blog - Teaching Tips and Ideas for Teachers

Oh, maternity leave— as if welcoming a new baby into the world isn’t nerve-wracking enough. Having a baby is a beautiful blessing, but it also brin...

I primarily teach juniors and seniors this year, so I have three primary waves of recommendation writing: junior enrichment opportunities, senior c...

I read this article in The Atlantic recently that discussed a new finding that handwritten notes are more effective in student learning than are ty...

New Year, New Me. Right? I mean, all the intentions are there to exercise more, lose those extra pounds, read more, budget better, and the list can...

Over the years, I have gone back and forth about the necessity of review days. Sometimes they have felt like a cop-out or a waste of time, and some...

I always seem to have students who believe that effective writing is verbose. If they exceed the page minimum, they expect a high grade. These stud...

Let’s talk argumentation and debates!  I love it. I love all of it. I love the serious relevant debates because there is so much information out th...

Some days during the school year, teaching high school feels a little like herding cats. For me, those days include Valentine’s Day, Friday before ...

Are you looking for an engaging way to end your week? First Chapter Friday is a fantastic way to preview books with students and *hopefully* get th...

Do you remember LOVING to play Oregon Trail on the old black and green-screened computers? We strategically planned out how much meat to pack, how many people to bring, and what to name our family members, only to die in the end. The endings ranged from contracting either diphtheria or cholera, to drowning in the river, or dying from a snake bite, all of which were exciting ways to die when traveling west in the 1800s. I honestly do not remember ever making it west. I remember that the only way I could survive was to stop the journey and build along the river. But, despite the eventual death sentence, I loved playing this game — and for my students, this same kind of love is happening with "You Choose You Adventure" Books. 

Start with Goals and the Big Picture by Quarter, Trimester, or Semester: For each grading period, include required literature, major projects, and other must-do items. Tip: Add district and state assessments also!

Some call it *The Gram* Some call it *Insta* Whatever you call it, there is no doubt that Instagram is *the* place to find awesome teachers sharin...