October 28, 2018

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 10/30 Topic: Note-Taking in the ELA Classroom

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about note-taking in the ELA classroom.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, October 30, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about note-taking in the ELA classroom.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about note-taking in the ELA classroom.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurlbitlygoo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

October 26, 2018

Adding Voices of Color: Diversifying the Literary Canon

Don't let old, dead, and white be the definition of reading in your classroom. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about including diverse literature in our courses. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the importance of teaching diverse literature. Teachers also shared how to help students connect with experiences distant from their own.Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about including diverse literature in our classrooms. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the importance of teaching diverse literature. Teachers also shared how to help students connect with experiences distant from their own.

Read through the chat below to find titles of novels by diverse authors. You'll get ideas about nonfiction texts to use to address diverse issues. You'll also find titles of poems and plays to diversify your curriculum.

Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.



Don't let old, dead, and white be the definition of reading in your classroom. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about including diverse literature in our courses. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the importance of teaching diverse literature. Teachers also shared how to help students connect with experiences distant from their own.Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.

October 21, 2018

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 10/23 Topic: Diversifying the Literary Canon

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about diversifying the literary canon.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, October 23, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about diversifying the literary canon.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about diversifying the literary canon.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurlbitlygoo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

October 19, 2018

5 Young Adult Novels to Help You Teach Magical Realism

Magic realism, the matter-of-fact inclusion of fantastic or mythical elements into seemingly realistic fiction, has its origins in Latin American literature, but has also made its way into young adult literature. If your students are struggling with the concept as you read Toni Morrison's Beloved, Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, or another classic in this genre, here five young adult novels featuring magical realism to recommend to secondary students.
Magic realism, the matter-of-fact inclusion of fantastic or mythical elements into seemingly realistic fiction, has its origins in Latin American literature, but has also made its way into young adult literature. If your students are struggling with the concept as you read Toni Morrison's Beloved, Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, or another classic in this genre, here five young adult novels featuring magical realism that I've recently read and would recommend to secondary students. Click the title of each to read my full review and ideas for using it in the classroom.

1. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
This novel is an interesting mix of fantasy and thriller, fairy tale and magical realism. The main character, Alice, is no doubt a nod to Alice of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll. Similar to Carroll's Alice, this Alice is far from perfect. She can be impulsive and is willing to use others to get what she wants. However, her mission is not a selfish one; she is trying to save her mother from whatever forces of evil have captured her.

2. Mosquitoland by David Arnold
Mim hops on a bus to see her ailing mother without her father's permission. This teen girl's journey from Mississippi to Ohio, is filled with adventure, misadventure, and a cast of colorful characters.

3. Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black
Blue's mother is deceased, her father was just a sperm donor, her sister Cass took off two year ago, her former best friend doesn't understand her and her old boyfriend is no longer of interest to her. When Blue hasn't heard from Cass in far too long, she makes a deal with the devil, trading her voice for the ability to track down her sister, a journey that will take her across the country and into contact with an array of characters, some good, some evil, and some somewhere in between.

4. Swamplandia by Karen Russell
The Bigtree family own an alligator park, but after Hiola Bigtree, the mother and star of the alligator show dies, things start to fall apart. Ava, the youngest Bigtree, is determined to save the park with a red skinned baby alligator and by replacing her mother in the show.

5. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
In this novel, realistic fiction is infused with fantasy and the supernatural. Mike is just an average senior trying to graduate high school and make it to college, but then there's the zombie-like creatures, explosions, and incidents in the past that adults won't speak of. 

October 14, 2018

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 10/16 Topic: Grading

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about grading.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, October 16, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about grading.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about grading.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurlbitlygoo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

October 12, 2018

Engaging Students in Independent Reading with Young Adult Literature

Giving students time to read novels of their own choosing is crucial to building a love of reading. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about engaging students in independent reading with young adult literature. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they incorporate independent reading into their class time. Teachers also shared how students select their books and where they get recommendations from. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about engaging students in independent reading with young adult literature. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they incorporate independent reading into their class time. Teachers also shared how students select their books and where they get recommendations from.

Read through the chat below to find out where teachers purchase books for their classrooms. You'll get ideas about how to stay up to date on new YA releases. You'll also find favorite recent titles to add to your classroom library.

Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.




Giving students time to read novels of their own choosing is crucial to building a love of reading. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about engaging students in independent reading with young adult literature. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they incorporate independent reading into their class time. Teachers also shared how students select their books and where they get recommendations from. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.

October 7, 2018

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 10/9 Topic: Independent Reading & YA Literature

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about independent reading and young adult literature.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, October 9, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about independent reading and young adult literature.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about independent reading and young adult literature.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurlbitlygoo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

October 1, 2018

On My Bookshelf: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Dear Martin by Nic Stone is focused on police brutality and shootings targeting African American males, and a natural follow up to All American Boys and The Hate U Give. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.
Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

Why I liked it: Dear Martin is the third young adult novel I've read recently focused on police brutality and shootings targeting African American males, a natural follow up to All American Boys and The Hate U Give. Like those two novels, Dear Martin touches on topics that have been largely ignored in young adult literature in the past: racism, racial profiling, gangs, drugs, code switching, interracial relationships, urban decline, black on black violence, police brutality, and witness intimidation. While the writing in Dear Martin was not as polished as the other two novels, I still very much enjoyed it and the issues it raises.

Justyce, the character at the center of the novel is extremely likable. He is a "good kid" who sometimes makes bad choices and he's smart and good looking. His struggles to fit in at school, please his mother, and understand girls are issues most teen boys can relate to, and his struggle to decide what type of black man he wants to be is one that I imagine many young black men share. My favorite parts were his direct addresses to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who Justyce affectionately calls "Martin," hence the title of the book.

Classroom application: The novel could be used in literature circles along with the obvious choices: The Hate U Give and All American Boys, but also with After by Marita Golden, a lesser known title, which also focuses on the shooting of an unarmed young black man, but is told from the perspective of the black police officer responsible for the shooting. The 2004 film Crash could also be used as a pairing.

The novel could also be paired with a study of Dr. Martin Luther King's life, ending with an essay questioning, like Justyce does, how relevant his teachings still are in today's world. Other possible research options would be the recourse for officers involved in a shooting, the support for officers who lose their partners in the line of duty, and the history of the KuKlux Klan.

The Halloween costumes sported by Justyce, Manny, and his friends would make for a great discussion about stereotypes, when is it okay to poke fun and when is it crossing a line that shouldn't be crossed?

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Dear Martin for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

Note: The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone is focused on police brutality and shootings targeting African American males, and a natural follow up to All American Boys and The Hate U Give. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.