Do You Know Where Your Students Are Stuck? There have been years when I jumped into January with the best intentions. Fresh plans. Updated pacing. High hopes for a strong second semester. And yet—every single time—about three weeks in, I felt that familiar frustration creeping ba…
The other day I was talking with a parent who told me, “I know my child can read… but when I ask them to explain what they read, everything falls apart.” If you’ve ever felt that way while homeschooling, you’re definitely not alone. Middle school is when reading suddenly becomes less about decodi…
Before You Meet Scrooge: A Free Prediction Activity to Build Background Knowledge for A Christmas Carol
Before You Meet Scrooge: A Free Prediction Activity to Build Background Knowledge for A Christmas Carol (Middle School ELA) If you’re preparing to teach A Christmas Carol and you want your students to actually understand the story before they read it , this free activity is the perfect way to …
The Real Reason Middle Schoolers Fail Standardized Reading Tests — Even With Strong Classroom Grades
The Real Reason Middle Schoolers Fail Standardized Reading Tests — Even With Strong Classroom Grades Many middle school students earn strong classroom grades in English but still fail standardized reading tests. The problem is not their reading ability — it’s the vocabulary of the standards. Test …