by Heather MacCorkle | Aug 1, 2021 | Education, Learning, Teaching
My students and I all suffered this school year, as did millions of others. Returning to the physical classroom bolstered our spirits. We are more optimistic about school year 2021–2022 now. One of the students in the morning English class wrote, “I was mortified at...
by Heather MacCorkle | May 2, 2021 | Education, Essays, Learning, Teaching, Writing
It occurs to me that one way for students to better understand poetry is to write it. I had this epiphany this morning as I scribbled “Irrelevant.” As I was scribbling, I noticed a rhyme scheme and a pattern emerging, and they changed my thought process....
by Heather MacCorkle | Apr 16, 2021 | Education, Essays, Learning, Teaching, Writing
In my research on writing-to-learn, I found the following explanation from Colorado State University. Generally, writing-to-learn activities are short, impromptu, or otherwise informal, and low-stakes writing tasks that help students think through key concepts or...
by Heather MacCorkle | Mar 21, 2021 | Education, Learning, Teaching, Virtual Learning
As we round the bend toward the end of a challenging school year, we educators hear so much about the negative effects of remote and hybrid learning on students and families this year. Is there anything positive that has come from it? Yes. At the very least, we have...
by Heather MacCorkle | Mar 6, 2021 | Education, Learning, Teaching, Writing
I teach a creative writing class by the seat of my pants. Why? Because each student who experiences the class is a unique individual. Creative writing is a personal endeavor; pre-established expectations should not hamper creative writers. Therefore, while the...
by Heather MacCorkle | Feb 22, 2021 | Education, Learning, Life, Teaching, Virtual Learning
According to The Glossary of Education Reform, the hidden curriculum “consists of the unspoken or implicit academic, social, and cultural messages that are communicated to students while they are in school.” This year, the hidden curriculum isn’t so...
