Ms. Davis

Am I the Only One Who Hates AI?

I am an English teacher. I like to write. But more and more students are trying to use AI to write their essays. I don’t allow it. I am to the point of wanting a first draft handwritten in front of me before moving on to the final draft. It is frustrating for all partiesContinue reading “Am I the Only One Who Hates AI?”

I Self-Published a Children’s Book

I have not been as active as I would like to be when it comes to posting here. I do hope to improve as I have seen some changes in education that I do want to talk about. However, as my previous post said, between work and family, I don’t find a lot of timeContinue reading “I Self-Published a Children’s Book”

Is Curriculum Political?

I was recently reading 4 Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. These two are pretty much considered superheroes in the realm of education. They have multiple books to their names, and are highly sought after for professional development. I was disappointed that I missed Kelly whenContinue reading “Is Curriculum Political?”

Work-Life Balance

I am back. Or I hope to be. It has been a challenge to find the time to write. My parents are not in good health, and I travel frequently to see them. I actually live in North Dakota to be closer to them (they live in Manitoba, Canada). It has been stressful but IContinue reading “Work-Life Balance”

Teaching is Hard

Teaching is hard. I know there are many who may disagree with me, but I stand by my statement. The physical act of getting up and teaching is easy, but trying to engage students and get them to see the purpose of what you are trying to teach is hard. It is even harder whenContinue reading “Teaching is Hard”

Real World Writing: Beowulf Resume

One thing that I struggle with, and that our textbook struggles with, is teaching students real world writing. Resumes and cover letters should be taught in high school. Perhaps your school has a class that teaches life skills and resumes with it, but my school does not. I work in a rural school where IContinue reading “Real World Writing: Beowulf Resume”

The Challenge of Reading

I love reading. I have always loved reading. I did not love (or read) everything that my schools assigned but I read a lot of books that I selected and I enjoyed it. I know that this love was in part due to my parents who were both avid readers and also my teachers suchContinue reading “The Challenge of Reading”

Whole Class Novels: Classic or Out-Dated?

This topic can become rather heated for English teachers. Should we read whole class novels? Donalyn Miller speaks out against it in her book Book Whisperer but not everyone agrees. The reasons many people are against whole class novels include: 1. Not everyone is going to like the book, so reading it could do moreContinue reading “Whole Class Novels: Classic or Out-Dated?”

Gustavo!

Last year I discovered Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago when the book was a special deal at Barnes and Noble, and I simply fell in love with the sweet ghost. Gustavo is a shy, lonely ghost in need of a friend. The basic idea is little cliche, but artwork really makes upContinue reading “Gustavo!”

My Favorite Book Series for Infants and Toddlers

I am an English teacher, so obviously I like to read. That love of reading is not limited to the classics or young adult literature. Some of my favorite books are the ones I get to read with my little ones. This post is going to talk about my favorite book series for infants andContinue reading “My Favorite Book Series for Infants and Toddlers”