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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Starting the School Year with Adventure: 3 Quotes to Inspire Your 6th Graders (and Yourself)
Read more: Starting the School Year with Adventure: 3 Quotes to Inspire Your 6th Graders (and Yourself)Starting middle school feels like stepping into a grand adventure — full of new faces, challenges, and discoveries. In this post, explore inspiring quotes from The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter that invite 6th graders (and their teachers!) to embrace the year with wonder, courage, and connection.
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The Sacrifice of Iphigenia: Between Faith and Superstition
Read more: The Sacrifice of Iphigenia: Between Faith and SuperstitionExploring the myth of Iphigenia through Homer and Lucretius reveals contrasting views on religion—as sacred duty or dangerous superstition—inviting us to question the true role of faith in human justice and sacrifice.
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Teaching the Iliad with the Proem: How One Word Holds a World
Read more: Teaching the Iliad with the Proem: How One Word Holds a WorldDiscover a fresh approach to teaching Homer’s Iliad by starting with its powerful opening word: menis (wrath). This article explores how focusing on this key term unlocks the poem’s central themes and engages students in deep literary analysis.
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Turn Up the Volume, Turn On the School Year: Starting 6th Grade with School of Rock
Read more: Turn Up the Volume, Turn On the School Year: Starting 6th Grade with School of RockStarting middle school can feel overwhelming, but the right story helps students feel empowered and ready to grow. This post shows how School of Rock sets the tone for a confident, collaborative classroom with fun themes and activities.
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October Sky Movie Lesson to Inspire Students at the Start of the School Year
Read more: October Sky Movie Lesson to Inspire Students at the Start of the School YearWhat if the school year began with a story of dreams, failure, and quiet courage? October Sky invites students to reflect on ambition, learning, and the mentors who help us grow—making it a powerful and inspiring way to launch the year in middle and high school.
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The Magician’s Nephew Themes: Teaching Power, Responsibility, and Moral Choice in Middle School
Read more: The Magician’s Nephew Themes: Teaching Power, Responsibility, and Moral Choice in Middle SchoolThe Magician’s Nephew invites students to explore power, responsibility, and choice. Through Lewis’s rich storytelling, teachers can guide meaningful discussions on words, temptation, and consequences, helping students connect deeply with the text.
- Back to School (3)
- Books That Shape Teachers (1)
- C.S. Lewis (9)
- C.S. Lewis – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (6)
- C.S. Lewis – The Magician's Nephew (7)
- Classroom Management (1)
- Educational Movie Activities (4)
- H. Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird (5)
- High School ELA (2)
- Homer – The Iliad (5)
- J. Steinbeck – East of Eden (5)
- J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit (6)
- Middle School ELA (11)
- Mythology (5)
- Reading suggestions (6)
- Social Emotional Learning (2)
- Teaching suggestions (11)