For the past few years, I’ve come to plan my lessons out very simply: beginning, middles, end. In my new book, I represent this idea using the following graphic: But in my day-to-day teaching, it actually looks like this: (Note: in general classes, the “Homework” piece is called “Walk Away.”) Now like any tool, the […]
Archives for September 2023
A Simple Method for Checking Student Vocab Comprehension During Tests
During our first test of the semester this year, I asked my students to do something new. I told my students that I’d be walking around to take a look at their lists and that they would give me information on how to best support them in the next unit. How it turned out I […]
To Spot AI, You’ve Gotta Know Stuff
I came across this explainer article the other day regarding how to spot text that’s been written by ChatGPT. It’s got smart design that pinpoints the exact spots in GPT-generated texts that give away their authorship (screenshot below). After reading the article from my own perspective as a high school teacher wanting to help students […]
None the Worser
I love it when students ask me, “When will I ever use what I learn in school?” It’s an honest question. An important one. A faint trace of the fear many students have in their hearts that school is just a big ol’ giant waste of time. Sometimes, I like to answer it like this. […]
Pop-Up Debates as Comprehension Improvement? Apparently, Yes!
Last year, I realized at the end of first semester that I had forgotten one of my favorite instructional tools: pop-up debates. Believe it or not, this happens often to me. At this point, I’ve written about a LOT of different teaching strategies. And even though they’re situated in some intentionally simple, practical categories — […]