To my future self, I hope that time has been kind to you, and that you are well. You wrote this letter some time ago and gave it to someone you trust in the hopes it would never be needed. I can’;t predict what your life is like, but it’;s likely that some of the … Continue reading →

Publications Books with Cremin TC, Writing Voices: Creating Communities of Authors. London, Routledge, 2011. with Fisher R, Manley S, Larkin S, Using Talk to Support Writing. London, Sage, 2010. with Beard R, Riley J, Nystrand M, The SAGE Guide of Writing Development. London, 2009. with Manley S, Hopper R, Speaking, Listening, Learning. Effective Talk however … Continue reading →

The scientific method is a great critical thinking tool in the classroom. Learn how to create and implement a scientific method worksheet for a middle school class in this how-to video from About.com. Show transcript Hide transcript Hello I’;m Milo for About.com and today we are talking about how to write a scientific method worksheet … Continue reading →

Balancing your checkbook is one of those crucial life skills that you need to know. It will give you a clear sense of not only how much money is in your bank account, but where your money goes. It can also help prevent you from bouncing checks, stick to your budget, help you avoid fees, … Continue reading →

Objective Recall the months of the year. Learn the components of a calendar. Apply their learning about holiday customs to consider their own favorite holiday and family traditions. Draw a variety of symbols that represent their favorite holiday. Learn the term tradition. Share their calendar page with the class. Materials An 8×11 blank calendar page … Continue reading →

by Joshua Jenkins Joshua Jenkins is a special education teacher at New Orleans College Prep Charter School. He is a Teach For America corps member. As a special education teacher who teaches struggling readers with different disabilities, I’m often crafting mental lists of things I wish parents knew about their struggling readers and students with … Continue reading →

Section 1 Jennifer Collins looked with the vehicle window in the ancient Wimberly mansion and mumbled, “Everyone knows Mrs. Wimberly’s home is haunted. It’s creepy with this ugly, round tower and individuals home windows within the door that appear to be like looking eyes.” “You can be assured,Inch her mother stated, “there aren’t any ghosts … Continue reading →

Some words of wisdom from a father to his son. Tomorrow you are graduating from high school and preparing to move on to what’s next. It is a surreal moment for me, both as a parent and as a man. In watching you over these last 18 years, I have seen clearly that you have … Continue reading →

There are some situations in which writing a letter is more appropriate than writing an email. If you need a permanent record of what you are writing, or if you are writing in a formal situation, a letter is a better choice. For example, you would probably write a letter of resignation and a cover … Continue reading →

Understand the distinction between the mystery genre and the thriller genre. Mysteries almost always begin with a murder. The major question in a mystery is who committed the crime. Thrillers usually begin with a situation that leads to a major catastrophe, like an assassination, a bank robbery, a nuclear explosion, etc. The major question in … Continue reading →