A good teacher doesn't have to reinvent the wheel.
Just as there's a lot of writing out there about educational theories, there's a lot of application of those theories, too. Here, I've listed things that I've found interesting, relevant, or useful to the craft of teaching, especially as it applies to secondary English education. I expect that this list will continue to grow; let me know if there are other resources that I should add through the Contact page and I'll try to post them!
Grammar
Yes, the most evil word in all of English education. How can we not neglect it while keeping it interesting and relevant?
Articles:
"The Grammar Gallimaufry: Teaching Students to Challenge the Grammar Gods" by Jeff House
This article in the English Journal is a fantastic example of teaching grammar in context. He gives a little of his background and theory concerning grammar, then details a specific activity that I would very much like to try in my own classroom. Think critically: Why do grammar rules exist? What purpose do they serve?
Lesson Plans/Resources:
Daily Grammar Archive
This website is really more prescriptive than descriptive in its mindset, but it has a lot of resources to help get the job done if that's what you're looking for. There are plenty of lessons and exercises in the Archive relating to elements of the sentence and mechanics.
War and Literature
These are some helpful resources I used in a unit I composed with several of my colleagues:
Lesson Plans/ Resources:
Exploring Irony in the Conclusion of All Quiet on the Western Front
The novel by Erich Maria Remarque is one of the most famous in war literature, and its notorious ending makes a big statement in relatively few words. This lesson plan opens up the idea of multiple meanings and irony and lets students craft an ironic ending of their own.
Using Technology to Analyze and Illustrate Symbolism in Night
This lesson explores symbolism, extending its application from textual symbols to visual representations. Students create a photo-montage to express the ideas they understood from Elie Wiesel's autobiography.
Grammar
Yes, the most evil word in all of English education. How can we not neglect it while keeping it interesting and relevant?
Articles:
"The Grammar Gallimaufry: Teaching Students to Challenge the Grammar Gods" by Jeff House
This article in the English Journal is a fantastic example of teaching grammar in context. He gives a little of his background and theory concerning grammar, then details a specific activity that I would very much like to try in my own classroom. Think critically: Why do grammar rules exist? What purpose do they serve?
Lesson Plans/Resources:
Daily Grammar Archive
This website is really more prescriptive than descriptive in its mindset, but it has a lot of resources to help get the job done if that's what you're looking for. There are plenty of lessons and exercises in the Archive relating to elements of the sentence and mechanics.
War and Literature
These are some helpful resources I used in a unit I composed with several of my colleagues:
Lesson Plans/ Resources:
Exploring Irony in the Conclusion of All Quiet on the Western Front
The novel by Erich Maria Remarque is one of the most famous in war literature, and its notorious ending makes a big statement in relatively few words. This lesson plan opens up the idea of multiple meanings and irony and lets students craft an ironic ending of their own.
Using Technology to Analyze and Illustrate Symbolism in Night
This lesson explores symbolism, extending its application from textual symbols to visual representations. Students create a photo-montage to express the ideas they understood from Elie Wiesel's autobiography.