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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Why Teach The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in Your Middle School Classroom?
Read more: Why Teach The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in Your Middle School Classroom?Why does The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe continue to captivate both students and educators? Its magical adventure, timeless themes of courage and sacrifice, and rich cross-curricular connections create a powerful story that inspires meaningful reflection and lasting engagement in the classroom. Let’s explore why.
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Middle School ELA: Enhance Learning with Crossword Puzzles
Read more: Middle School ELA: Enhance Learning with Crossword PuzzlesLooking for a fun way to help your middle schoolers dive into The Hobbit? Crossword puzzles are a great tool to boost vocabulary, remember key moments, and get to know the characters—all while having fun in your ELA class!
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Text Analysis Made Easy: How to Teach The Hobbit in Middle School
Read more: Text Analysis Made Easy: How to Teach The Hobbit in Middle SchoolA step-by-step method for teaching The Hobbit in middle school: how to structure the reading over a term, guide close analysis with chapter worksheets, lead discussion, and assess what students have understood—without either rushing the novel or drowning in prep.
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Immerse in Adventure: The Educational Value of The Hobbit for Middle School
Read more: Immerse in Adventure: The Educational Value of The Hobbit for Middle SchoolThere are sensible reasons to teach The Hobbit—vocabulary, adventure, moral questions. But the deepest one is quieter: Tolkien takes his unlikeliest character and reveals the courage that was in him all along. A reading of why this novel belongs in a middle school classroom—and what it asks of those who teach it.
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Introducing The Hobbit in Middle School: Runes, Literary Context, and Creative Community
Read more: Introducing The Hobbit in Middle School: Runes, Literary Context, and Creative CommunityIntroduce your middle schoolers to The Hobbit with a creative twist! Explore Tolkien’s magical runes and the legendary Inklings to spark curiosity, deepen engagement, and bring literary history to life—no extra prep required.