This teaching blog is shaped by a clear conviction: the books and stories we choose for our students matter deeply. Every text, story, and film I write about is the result of a personal and thoughtful choice — selected from what I have personally read, studied, loved, and found significant, profound, and enduring.
Here you will find reflections, analyses, and ideas for middle and high school classrooms. Analysis becomes discovery, and stories become encounters. They are not chosen simply because they fit a syllabus; they are rich in beauty, depth, and human insight — and students deserve what is most beautiful, most challenging, and most significant in storytelling. This teaching blog is where that search begins.
Latest Posts
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East of Eden by John Steinbeck: A Must-Read for Educators
Read more: East of Eden by John Steinbeck: A Must-Read for EducatorsTo teach deeply, teachers must first read deeply. East of Eden by John Steinbeck illuminates the struggles of family, the weight of legacy, and the power of freedom — lessons that every educator can carry into their classroom.
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Building Classroom Community with Remember the Titans
Classroom Management, Educational Movie Activities, High School, Middle School, Social Emotional LearningRead more: Building Classroom Community with Remember the TitansStudents can sit side by side every day and still remain strangers. Inspired by Remember the Titans, this article explores how structured reflection can transform a group of individuals into a classroom community built on trust, listening, and shared growth.
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A Pre-Reading Roadmap for To Kill a Mockingbird
Read more: A Pre-Reading Roadmap for To Kill a MockingbirdHow can we help students truly understand Maycomb before reading To Kill a Mockingbird? This article explores a pre-reading approach centered on identity, stereotypes, and community rules—key concepts that reveal how Maycomb is not just the setting of the novel, but a system that shapes characters, conflict, and meaning.
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The Creation of Narnia in The Magician’s Nephew (and in the Classroom)
Read more: The Creation of Narnia in The Magician’s Nephew (and in the Classroom)The creation of Narnia in The Magician’s Nephew is a magical moment where Aslan sings the world into being. In my classroom, this scene has sparked deep reflections on language, imagination, and understanding — and I want to share them with you.
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Teaching The Magician’s Nephew in Middle School: A Practical Guide for the Classroom
Read more: Teaching The Magician’s Nephew in Middle School: A Practical Guide for the ClassroomHere I share my experience teaching The Magician’s Nephew in middle school. Discover tips on structuring lessons, fostering curiosity, and helping students engage deeply with Lewis’s world.
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The White Witch and the Concept of Tyranny: Teaching Power and Justice Through Fantasy
Read more: The White Witch and the Concept of Tyranny: Teaching Power and Justice Through FantasyThe White Witch in Narnia exemplifies tyranny and power: what about some dynamic, interdisciplinary classroom activities to help students reflect on justice, ethics, and moral decision-making through Lewis’s fantasy novels?
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