How do you feel about using ChatGPT in English classes? I know, that's a loaded question with lots of teacher reactions running the gamut from loving the idea of learning something new to dreading the day students will use this tool to cheat on their writing assignments.  Even if you had a middle-of-the-road reaction, I invite […] The post ChatGPT In English Class: Using AI Writers As Thinking Partners appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

One of the tasks I disliked the most as an English teacher (and that didn't really get better over time, even as I found better strategies) was grading papers. As a high school English teacher, we are all well aware of the importance of writing and reading in developing students' language skills. But with a […] The post 10 Time-Saving Grading Strategies for High School English Teachers appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

The idea of "going gradeless" in today's traditional schools is a new concept to parents but one that will ensure their children learn instead of simply learning for the sake of passing a test. My guest is Deanna Lough who has taught for the better part of two decades, at both middle and high school levels. […] The post Going Gradeless: How to Show Evidence of Learning without Ranking and Sorting Students appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

Formative assessment strategies are key components of effective teaching and learning in any subject, but especially English Language Arts (ELA). If you've ever paused in the middle of a lecture and wondered if any of the faces staring back at you (or out the window, or snoring on their desktops) heard a word you were […] The post 6 Formative Assessment Strategies to Boost Student Learning and Engagement in English Class appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

How often do you think about the culture of your school, or even your classroom? Is it a place where different opinions are welcome? Or do your students feel like they need to tailor their assignments to please your viewpoint? Andre Daughty has spent many years of his career teaching teachers and administrators about how important […] The post reThink ELA #021: Building School Culture: Observe Your Students to Learn How To Teach Them appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

As I’ve reflected on the lessons of this past year and my journey as an educator overall, it’s occurred to me that most of my reflection has been very inward-focused. As an introvert, this is my natural default, but I realize that I need to focus outward more. So instead of choosing “focus” as my […] The post 2023 Word of the Year: Inspire appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

Every December, I start thinking about the upcoming year and making plans to write a reflection and a plan for moving forward. While I was a classroom teacher, this project often got lost in the flurry of preparing units and lessons, and trying to figure out how to encourage my students to embrace reading and […] The post Best Of 2022: Review Of Our Most Important Content appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

ChatGPT is only three weeks old and I’m already seeing teachers posting on Facebook or Twitter about turning students in for plagiarizing with the artificial intelligence writing tool. This is not a good place for us to be if we’re wanting to empower student writers.Enter your text here... Since this software first showed up on […] The post ChatGPT In English Class: It’s Time To Address The Elephant In The Room appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

In preparation for Native American Heritage Month this November, I decided to curate a list of Indigenous young adult literature with connections to my home state.  After a few hours of searching and talking to other English teachers in Oklahoma, I realized that in spite of having lived in various parts of the state for […] The post Oklahoma Voices: Best Native American Books For High School Students appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more

Sticking to your "tried and true" writing prompts can make your workflow easier, but when it comes to adolescent writing motivation, sometimes a change of pace is necessary.  Just because last year's class loved what you presented doesn't mean that this year's class will find the same motivation to share their stories. In today's episode, I […] The post reThink ELA #020: Increase Adolescent Writing Motivation with a Student Newspaper appeared first on reThink ELA ..read more