Yes, I Read the Whole Novel to My Seventh Graders
What if the most important part of teaching a class novel isn't who reads the words, but who understands them?
Who I am and why I started The Real Classroom
I began my teaching career in elementary school, and for the past nine years, I've taught seventh-grade English. I have a master's degree in education, a law degree, and postgraduate training in educational therapy. But most of what I write about comes from thirty years of working with students.
I started The Real Classroom because I was frustrated with so much of the advice being given to teachers, especially those just beginning their careers. There seemed to be an endless supply of new strategies, theories, and approaches, but not nearly enough practical advice about what actually works when you're standing in front of a classroom full of students.
Sometimes the most effective way of doing something is also the most straightforward. Yet teachers are often encouraged to abandon practices that have worked for years simply because something newer has come along. I'm not opposed to new ideas, but I don't believe that a strategy becomes outdated just because it isn't the latest trend. After thirty years of teaching, I think we need more people willing to say that.
The Real Classroom is where I share the practices I've returned to year after year, the lessons and materials I use with my own students, and my thoughts about teaching that don't always align with the latest trends. I write primarily for teachers, whether they're just starting out or have been teaching for decades, but I also hope homeschooling parents will find lessons, resources, and ideas they can use.
