Why does Daisy stay? That’s the question students ask every year when we study The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s classic novel presents a valuable opportunity to educate students about the truth concerning abusive and toxic relationships. When they ask why does Daisy stay, they are really asking why anyone stays. They might be asking why theirContinue Reading
Gatsby
How Analyzing Gatsby Can Help Teens Recognize Relationship Red Flags
I was desperate. I sat curled in a chair, my face wet, my throat tight, my heart crushed. I was a mom of four great kids. We lived in a beautiful five bedroom, three bathroom home walking distance from our church where I volunteered and sang in the choir. I sobbed so hard, I couldContinue Reading
Using Google Slides to Create Great (Gatsby) Dialectical Journals
For readers, writers, and lovers of words, a dialectical journal is a great idea. We like nothing more than to muse about what moves us. For non-readers and reluctant writers, nothing could be worse. Yet, teachers are still tasked with the obligation to teach students to think about, connect to, and write about the booksContinue Reading
How to Assess Student Connection to Texts
I discovered the assessment by accident. It was actually meant for a brain break for my honors students. We had just finished up The Great Gatsby, but throughout the week I had noticed mental fatigue setting in. Most likely, it had been a week filled with calculus and AP Chem tests with some kind ofContinue Reading
Should We Use Movies to Teach Classic Literature?
Are you a movie-showing teacher? Relying on movies to teach classics isn’t new. Although, I feel like it’s becoming more and more accepted as the norm. I often wonder if it should be. When I first started pre-writing this blog post, I truly thought it would lean towards nixing movies. We teach literature, not cinema.Continue Reading
