Don’t Fear the Poetry Unit. I don’t know about you, but the loudest collective groan to ricochet off the four walls of my classroom occurs the moment I announce the start of our poetry unit. Without fail, students go into panic mode. They offer to do double the homework for a month if we could just read another novel. I … Read More
Creating a Mastery Grid in Google Docs (video)
Working on your next Mastery Grid? Video Highlights Editing a Mastery Grid template can get a little tricky when you don’t have the same numbers of learning opportunities at each level as the template does. Have no fear! This video will show you how to build your own Mastery Grids in Google Docs using tables and merging cells. Build … Read More
Live Webinar with ISTE New England – The Grid Method: Mastery-Learning System
Interested in mastery-learning? Chad Ostrowski (@chadostriwski) shares The Grid Method – Mastery-Learning System, which we have spent the past several years sharing with teachers across the country. This webinar will give you an overview of the system, its components, and what it could look like in your classroom. Video Highlights The key components of The Grid Method. The reasons Chad … Read More
Mastering the “Gray Area” Transition to Standards-Based Grading
Have you considered the “gray area” during the transition from a traditional grade book to Standards-Based Grading? It can take multiple years for an effective shift to Standards-Based Grading for grade books and feedback provided in the classroom. As districts navigate the transition, there is a lot to think out, plan out, and put into practice. So, how do teachers manage in … Read More
Helping Black Students find their Voice in School
Helping black boys find their voice: The Power of Thematic Teaching in High School English Classrooms What we know: I’ve taught High School English for over 15 years, and I’ve fought the notion that the classics are “clientele specific.” In more forward terms, you can’t teach the classics if you have a room comprised of mostly black teenage boys. You … Read More