Want to love walking into your ELA classroom each day? Excited about innovative strategies like PBL, escape rooms, hexagonal thinking, sketchnotes, one-pagers,... more
Lately, I’ve been working on gamification. Not the kind where you get points and add custom outfits to your hamster... more
If the work week is starting to feel like a blurry hand sanitizer-scented haze at the moment, you're right on... more
This week I’m thinking about those moments when the system collapses. Your toddler wakes up at 3 am and stays... more
Ever struggle to get students to stop talking? Keep their phones put away? Stay focused during the lesson? Stop whispering... more
In today’s short episode of “Highly Recommended”, I’m here to tell you it’s time to try a poetry video project!... more
So you want to give the nod to the season, but you also want to make sure all your... more
Welcome to day five of gratitude week here at Spark Creativity. Today, on our final day, we’re looking back... more
Welcome to day four of gratitude week here at Spark Creativity. Today we’re looking back at an interview with... more
Welcome to day three of gratitude week here at Spark Creativity. Today we’re looking back at an interview with... more
Welcome to day two of gratitude week here at Spark Creativity. Today we're revisiting a popular interview with Dr.... more
This week I’m thinking about how grateful I am for this incredible community - all the creative educators around... more
In today’s short episode of “Highly Recommended”, I want to recommend an article I read at Edutopia this week,... more
If you’re a teacher in a Title I School, you need to know about First Book Marketplace. ... more
This week, I want to talk about Sunday nights. If you’re struggling to figure out how you can be a... more
Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, and Eugene O'Neill get plenty of spotlight on the ELA curriculum stage. And... more
This week I want to share a fabulous resource I recently discovered, a website full of short video models for... more
My son and I love a few certain characters from the books we've read aloud over the years. Gum-Baby,... more
Grading discussion can feel like juggling cats. How can you be present in a class discussion while also trying to... more
We’ve all been in a discussion hurtling off the track and into the canyon, far, far below. Chances are,... more
Remember in elementary school, how some kids were so excited to answer a question that they would wave their hand... more
Welcome back to our ongoing discussion series. If you missed the first two episodes, covering five types of... more
Today we’re talking about a model that influenced every discussion I ran in my classroom from my first year to... more
Discussion. Theoretically it’s the bread and butter of the English classroom, but sometimes it feels like all crusts and... more
The late afternoon sun filtered through the windows of our tiny department office as I ran in to grab the... more
Want to teach a multigenre essay project? Good! Our students see story splashed across so many... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
It's no fun announcing an argument paper and being met by groans. If your students have arrived at your... more
If you’ve ever felt like you were stuck in a rut doing the same thing day after day, I’ve got... more
Do you have old books lying around taking up space in your classroom? Books no one is ever going to... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to tell you about a one week unit that has never failed to produce... more
Let's talk about dystopia book clubs, a compelling unit option for ELA. I taught my first... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I’d like to challenge you to get your students set up on Canva and help them... more
Video is everywhere in communication these days, including on Reels, TikTok, and Youtube, where our students are. Building creative... more
On this week’s mini-episode, let’s talk about how to build an audio assignment in early in the year without feeling... more
We moved this month, and it wasn’t one of your quick moves. We did one of those... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to talk about learning names, and my easy trick for mastery. It took me... more
Jason Reynolds' website headline reads "Here's What I Do: Not Write Boring books." How great is that? As... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I’m sharing the coolest discussion warm-up I’ve ever learned, which I picked up at the Exeter... more
The first time I really understood what flow meant I was barefoot in salty sand, building a beach... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to give my answer to a question I see all the time in our ... more
Today I’d like to share one of my favorite episodes from the Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast archives. In this special... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I just have a very quick idea for you and it’s this. As back-to-school hits, it’s... more
Back-to-School season is the perfect time to set up your reading program for success throughout the year. ... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to answer a question from our community about lesson planning. Here it is: “How... more
Maybe you've heard the story of how I almost quit teaching on my first first day of school. ... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to share my top strategy for taking the pressure off you while delivering a... more
If I told you the elective we’re about to dive into has an “awkward party” unit, would you believe... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to answer a question from our community about reading in class. Here it is... more
What would you do if you had nine weeks to help ELA students imagine the real-world use of ELA skills?... more
This week let’s talk about careers. I don’t know if you can relate, but I graduated from high school with... more
Today on the show, we’ll find out what happened when an administrator attended a student’s genius hour project presentation... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I want to answer a question sent in by a member of our community. Here’s what... more
Today on the show we’re hearing from Valerie Boehm, who teaches a Dramatic Writing elective in Georgia as part... more
Join me each week for innovative teaching strategies you can use immediately in your ELA classroom, from choice reading help... more
On this week’s mini-episode, I’m remembering the moment my 11th graders asked me to please, please, please add a book... more
Last night I dreamed I was teaching in a new classroom, except it had layers of stuff on the... more
On this week’s mini-episode, let’s talk about my favorite online teacher tool, Canva. If you haven’t signed up for their... more
You want the last day of ELA to be special, but what does that mean exactly? And who has... more
On this week’s mini-episode, let’s talk summer school. Because I know that if you ARE teaching summer school, you’d like... more
As the sun rises a little earlier each day and the cherry trees in our neighborhood fill with fruit,... more
Today I want to talk about a fantastic podcast for you to use in class if you teach Shakespeare. With... more
Choice reading can sometimes feel like an out-of-reach dream. I recently heard from a busy teacher who wrote, "I... more
Today I want to talk final exams, and specifically, one I’ve really enjoyed giving when I had the leeway to... more
Do your students think of the revision process as a combo of spellcheck and Grammarly? Tend to peer edit... more
Today I want to talk about a subject I’m sure you’ve thought a lot about - how much are... more
With exam season coming up, you're probably looking for some creative ELA review activities. Whether your school... more
Today, I want to highlight a useful tool Amanda Cardenas shared earlier this year on the show called The Sesame... more
Have you ever wished you could get students excited about genius hour, then immediately wondered what you’d do if... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search... more
Book talk podcasts can provide gentle choice reading accountability, target presentation of knowledge and speaking skills, and build a... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
It’s never a bad thing when your classroom innovation lands you at a press conference with your state’s... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
We’re about to dive into an elective that combines Beowulf, The Hobbit, Ursula Leguin, graphic novels, and contemporary YA! What... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
Welcome to the author spotlight series at Spark Creativity. In this series, you’ll hear from authors... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
You know how we feel here at Spark Creativity about Book PR. Basically it's the best. We're all... more
Today, let’s talk about March Madness, and how to harness all that awesome enthusiasm to get your students excited about... more
Remember when research projects involved stacks of books and notecards? Yeah, me too. But we all know research... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
Today on the podcast, we’re sitting down with Amanda Cardenas to talk about a very big question. A... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about electives. Electives I want to design, like one about Youtube... more
Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast, a podcast for English teachers in search of creative... more
Ahh, the hum of fluorescent lighting. The slightly stained carpeting. The copier that is almost-if-not-already-out-of-paper. The dirty coffee cups.... more
This week, I want to suggest you let your students design an escape room. Escape rooms are, in the iconic... more
So you want your students to get better at something, but drill-and-kill is clearly not the answer. Been there,... more
This week, I want to share a great way to tie rhetorical analysis into the upcoming Superbowl. First things first,... more
Welcome to the second episode of the author spotlight series here at Spark Creativity! In this series,... more
This week, I want to share a quick way to help make your next discussion better. The next time you... more
We've been talking this month about the paper pile. The work bag shadow. The stack of essays you... more
This week, I want to tell you a story about pancakes. You might know I love to cook and bake.... more
I'll never forget the "C" I got on my first English paper in college. I was walking across the... more
This week, I want to share a quick resource to help you celebrate Black Artists and Authors in your classroom... more
I recently polled our community on Instagram about the paper pile. Because let's face it, it's a huge part... more
Welcome to the first episode of the author spotlight series here at Spark Creativity! In this series,... more
This week, I want to share the daily planning routine that is working better for me this year than anything... more
Today on the podcast, we're sitting down with Abby Gross from Write on with Miss G, who has become... more
This week I want to talk about your work space and why it matters that you love it. Do you... more
There's nothing quite like knowing exactly what you're going to do on the first day back after break as... more
This week I want to talk about the literary food truck project and why it’s time to try it if... more
Did you know that in Iceland they have a special holiday tradition called "Book Flood" on Christmas eve? People... more
This week I want to talk what to do if you're trying to help your students take advantage of the... more
The week before winter break can be a great time for wintery poetry. A mini-unit like this... more
This week I want to share a productivity tip that has changed my life in ways large and small. Three... more
Today on the podcast, we’re sitting down with Martina Cahill, who goes by The Hungry Teacher online. One of... more
This week I want to talk about argument, and why it seems so esoteric to kids when they learn about... more
When it comes to an engaging poetry unit, I believe the #1 building block is performance. There's something about... more
This week I want to talk about how one-pagers can be a powerful gateway to creative options in your classroom. ... more
The week before Thanksgiving it's easy to feel a little scattered! For teachers AND students. It can be nice... more
This week I want to share advice I only wish someone had given me long ago - don’t grade everything... more
We've all been there. You walk into a class, unveil your lesson plan with all the joy and care... more
I want you to watch Gene Luen Yang's Ted talk called “Comics Belong in the Classroom!” Here's why. It's a... more
Today on the podcast, we’re joined by education leader Reid Saaris. He’s the founder of Equal Opportunity Schools, a... more
This week I want to share a wonderful website and resource with you, Melissa Alter Smith’s brainchild, Teach Living Poets.... more
Today on the podcast, we’re sitting down with Dr. Mark Gooden, the Christian Johnson Endeavor Professor in Education Leadership... more
This week I want to give you a few quick ideas for using your whiteboard to help share great books... more
Need a creative approach to your next short story? Or short story unit? (By the way, here are some... more
This week I want to tell you about the most beautiful, powerful, impactful classroom posters I’ve seen on the internet.... more
In this podcast, discover NINE creative ways to bring Taylor Swift's music into class. Find out how to have students... more
This week I’ve got a productivity tip to give you so much more focused time in your classroom. Let’s... more
As Banned Books Week kicks off, I know not every teacher is in a position to showcase it. In... more
This week I want to talk about getting you in front of an audience this year. My first year in... more
There are so many reasons why a student may be quiet in class. The language may be difficult. They... more
This week let’s talk about a unique masters program - and the one I did - The Bread Loaf School... more
Have you reached for a turtleneck sweater yet? Bought one of those big pumpkins or bright purple mums at the... more
This week let’s talk a different kind of topic, asking for what you want in education. When I was five,... more
I have to admit that even though I wrote three college essays, got into college, went to college, got... more
This week let’s talk about the simplest audio recording tool out there for students, Vocaroo. Getting into activities like... more
So you've heard the buzz about podcasts, and you're intrigued. You want to play an episode in class, but... more
This week let’s talk about research, and the ways it shows up across the world these days. Because I’d like... more
Today on the podcast, I’m so excited to bring you the first writer ever to win three very important... more
This week I want to share a super simple strategy for building more book recommendations into your classes in just... more
Librarians can help classroom teachers in sooooo many ways, and classroom teachers can return the favor by reminding kids... more
This week I want to share a fast-paced and fun podcast for middle schoolers, The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel. It's... more
So you want to share your favorite books with your students to help them love reading. Excellent! But maybe... more
This week I want to share two quick ways to make back-to-school night something you can enjoy this year. In... more
So you've assigned a book you love (or maybe a selection of several) to your students for the summer, and... more
This week I want to share one of my favorite recent reads - Alone, by Megan E Freeman. I picked... more
Today on the podcast, I’m so excited to bring you the first writer ever to win three very important prizes in... more