Teach Like a Pirate: Building Rapport, Student Engagement, and Creativity

While reading Dave Burgess’s highly popular educational tome Teach Like a Pirate, I discovered several key elements were repeated over and over again. These elements tie directly into the acrostic PIRATE, which stands for Passion, Immersion, Rapport, Ask and Analyze, Transformation, and Enthusiasm. While Burgess contends that a successful teacher will implement all of the …

Advertisement

Out on a Limerick

"I don't get what I'm supposed to do," one of my middle school boys whined. "You're writing two haiku, one about nature, the other in riddle form, and then you're writing a limerick," I reiterated my previous instructions. Because it's not teaching unless you repeat yourself 47 times during the course of an hour. "How …

What’s in a Name?

This past week I had my older students make acrostics from their names. Despite being reticent to writing poetry, they enjoyed making the acrostics. I think they're starting to see that poetry doesn't have to have a rhyme scheme or a certain meter. So in lieu of any profound article or poem this week, here …

Sacrificing Characterization and Plot for an Ending: An Analysis of Avengers Infinity War

I have to admit something that is probably going to be unpopular: I thought Infinity War was a hot mess. I, of course, have been told--mostly by offended Marvel fans who are appalled that I dared to speak out against their Holy Bible of the MCU-- my opinion is invalid. According to them, I am …

Not a Waste of Time: Using Fan-fiction in the Classroom

I have a confession to make that may forever alter your opinion of me (those of you who have wandered onto my blog for the first time are currently thinking, Umm, I don't have any opinions). I love reading and writing fan-fiction. I currently have two fanfic accounts on the internet, which anyone with a semblance of …