By now we are all checking and double-checking to make certain we have "covered" at least half (if not more) of the Common Core standards for our disciplines, with a high-stakes standardized test looming in the not-too-distant future. Winter break is almost over, and we all know that after break, what used to be the … Continue reading Common Core: An “I Can” Statement

I have been teaching English for 22 years. For the first 12 years of my career, I didn't even think about teaching students how to diagram sentences. Then, fate intervened to change my perspective permanently: I was hired in a prestigious, high-achieving school district where I was required to teach diagramming. I got this information … Continue reading To Diagram or Not to Diagram?