Blue-Sky Teaching

I, too sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. - from I, Too by Langston Hughes It's two days until Thanksgiving. Students in my classes are beyond ready to go, off to families; off to meals of golden turkey, mashed potatoes with pools of yellow butter, and smooth, cinnamon-sprinkled pumpkin pie; off to sleep in. As I think about my own family traditions at Thanksgiving, it's the table that comes to mind first. The good china, dusted off and laid carefully on quilted place mats. Candles flickering and casting golden light around the room. And the people, everyone I love gathering close. The table in my family is a place of belonging, a place where everyone has a voice in the conversation, where everyone is valued because they are there. Langston Hughes' poem is a strong reminder that this is not always the case.  In so many ways in our country today, pe...

Here's a little throw-back to last year's NCTE conference in Atlanta -   #NCTE16   It was an amazing experience of solidarity.  There I was among the nation's leading voices in ELA education, soaking in their ideas and energy, feeling empowered like I never had before. And, now, in just 2 1/2 hours, I'm on my way again, this time to present with my friend Jess Giah about the importance of diversity and globalization in classrooms.  How do we celebrate our differences and find our connected humanity?  Then on Sunday, many of us who got Book Love grants will gather with Penny Kittle and talk about books in classrooms.  I am elated to get to spend time with these fellow Book Lovers!  If you're in St. Louis this weekend and you see me looking lost and dazed, or perhaps like a fourteen-year-old at a rock concert with her favorite band, please pull me aside and say hi.  Connecting with my tribe in real life will be the best part of the whole ...

Dear Teachers, It's November.  The time change has happened so it's a little lighter in the morning but, if you're like me, your body wants to go to bed at about 7pm.  All that dark coziness lures me to put on my pajamas, grab a book, and snuggle under my covers. November is a time when the end of the semester become a faint light, growing brighter with each passing day.  This can mean two things for students who are struggling.  It can be the time when my high school kids completely check out, having given up hope that they'll pass because they're too far behind. Or, November can be a time of renewed energy, when realizing the end is coming, students suddenly scramble and want to do work that previously didn't seem all that important.  Caution: this might not happen until the day they come back from Thanksgiving break.  Or the week after that. So, what do we do when a student suddenly decided to flip the switch near the end of the semester?  ...