As an English teacher, there are few things more contentious than teaching Shakespeare in high school classrooms. The idea that he is outdated, pointless, and just plain boring has plagued many of us. I disagree with all of those things. Because of my positive Shakespeare feelings, I am always looking for new ways to teach […]
Bailey Cavender
Bailey Cavender is a high school English teacher in the wonderful state of Idaho.
Posted inCOVID-19
Teaching In A Mask: Preparing for Fall 2020
I’ve been thinking about wearing a mask lately. With that, I’ve been thinking about back to school. It’s that time of year for teachers when we’re all thinking even more about the upcoming school year. Rereading our curriculum, getting our classrooms ready…it’s very exciting. But this year, things are different. School districts have begun to […]
Posted inBack to School
Preparing to Teach in an Upside-down World
Preparing for this coming school year is a daunting task. This past spring was challenging. Many teachers were reminded just why we teach in the classroom, and not online. And while it may seem to be too early to be talking about back to school, I know I can’t be the only teacher who is […]
Posted inHigh School
Support in Schools is a Circle
There is a lot going on right now. Protests, a pandemic, and so much uncertainty. In the midst of everything, we are also finishing up a school year. A school year that highlighted how necessary the internet is for everyone. And has been full of uncertainty. For students, parents, and teachers, this spring has been […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Opinion: Right Now Things Are Hard, But It’s Going to Be Fine
Right now, things are hard. Nothing feels fine, or normal. As we all know, teaching in person is different than teaching online. There are many things that we as educators are dealing with right now. How do we ensure that our students are learning, when there are some students without the ability to attend online […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Case for Graphic Novels in the Classroom
Right now, the world is flooded with articles about teaching at home and adjusting to teaching during this global pandemic. This is not going to be one of those articles. Instead, this article is going to focus on graphic novels and their place in the classroom. To clarify, when I say “graphic novels,” I’m specifically […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
In Defense of Classic Literature
Every so often, Twitter is abuzz with literary “hot takes.” Some are anti-Shakespeare. Others want only contemporary literature in schools. Most of the time, they are about how awful some classic literature is. They talk about the classics, and how overrated they are. The comments range from agreement to shock. The Classics and Language One […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Shaking Up the Literary Canon
As an English teacher, I’ve noticed that most students tend to gravitate towards contemporary novels, rather than classic literature. Many of them tend to relate better to the characters in modern literature. It makes sense that students would be drawn to these stories, with themes that can relate directly to their lives and struggles today. […]