ELA classes are composed of two elements, reading and writing. In 6th grade, my district introduces Short Answer Format, which is essentially how to write an evidence-based paragraph to respond to a prompt. While challenging, it is one of my favorite things to teach in 6th grade. Forming a paragraph
While failure is a term which comes with an inherit uneasiness for many of us, it is an important component of the learning process. Moreover, creating a classrooom environment that allows students to take thier failures in stride is vital to student growth. As educators, we often tell our students
Title: Stargirl Author: Jerry Spinelli Genres: Young Adult, Fiction Word Count: 46,500 Grade level: Early middle school and up Themes: Coming of Age, Individuality vs. Conformity, Empathy, Socializing in school Top 3 Literary Devices: Characterization, Conflict, Juxtaposition Uses Figurative Language: Yes (similes, metaphors, some hyperbole, and Irony). One Sentence
TL;DR: * I currently teach a self-contained ELA (English Language Arts) 6 class * Unit 1 is a short unit to introduce Figurative Language * The slideshow and 2 of the sheets I use for this unit are linked below Full text: I am a middle and high school Special Education ELA
For most of my career, I have worked in small schools. Schools where most students already knew each other, and traditional icebreaker activities felt redundant. Even if the first day is not going to be academically rigorous, I don't want their first impression of my class to be
If you ask any teacher to list the downsides of teaching, I guarantee every list will mention the lack of planning time. If you press further, you will undoubtedly be told tales of long nights and weekends spent having to compensate for that lack of time. In my first year
Creating an engaging learning environment is just as much about forming positive relationships with your students as it is about content knowledge. Helping struggling students to care or become engaged can be a challenge. However, here are some things I do to help create engagement. First, I have a cultivated
Title: The Cay Author: Theodore Taylor Genres: Young Adult Historical Fiction Word Count: 40,000 words (160 pages) Grade level: Late elementary to early middle school (4-6) Themes: Racism and Prejudice, Empathy, Overcoming Diversity Top 3 Literary Devices: Characterization, Conflict, Imagery Uses Figurative Language: Yes (similes, metaphors, some hyperbole, and
Title: Seedfolks Author: Paul Fleischman Genres: Realistic Fiction Word Count: 11908 (70 pages) Grade level: Late elementary to early middle school (4-6) Themes: Community, Inclusion, Empathy, Cultural Diversity Top 3 Literary Devices: Characterization, Setting, Point of View Uses Figurative Language: Yes (similes, metaphors, some hyperbole). One Sentence Summary: This is
In a Special Education classroom, modifications and accommodations are a common part of everyday vernacular. However, they are so frequently spoken in conjunction that, after a while, it can become difficult to remember the differences between the two and their roles. An accommodation is a change in how students learn
This is Special Educator, a brand-new site by Michael Marino. I am a Special Education teacher in New York State. My entire career has been teaching in NYC and the surrounding suburbs. When I started teaching I was a general education teacher who desperately wanted to teach gifted students. I