We've all been there before. We begin the year with such enthusiasm, but just a few weeks (days?) in finds us behind schedule, overbooked, and overwhelmed. And yes, we know that grace is sufficient and our identity is not hanging on our failure or success...but still, some things would certainly be a lot easier if we could cultivate a little diligence in our classroom. How can we do that? Where does diligence come from and how can we ensure its survival?
Read MoreSummer is here! And while you are hauling out the pool toys and planning your family's next great adventure, somewhere in the back of your mind you know that fall will be here sooner than you would like. You're exhausted and ready to burn the homeschooling books, but you're also a little afraid of entering the upcoming academic year unprepared. How can we both get the rest we need and ready ourselves for the next go around? Are you allowed to take a little "me" time, or is there no rest for the weary?
Read MoreYou know you need one. That's why you set out to give it to your students in the first place. But the goal of "education" can be vague and daunting if you don't quite know what it is you're after and you only have 12 years to figure it out. What is the purpose of an education and why should we seek after it? Is it training for real life? Is it mastery? Is it for virtue? And once you know what it is, what tools do you need for the journey? It's a big, juicy topic, and we think the great Western literary heritage has some good perspective to offer.
Read MoreAs busy parents and teachers, any opportunity we can find to combine subjects and "kill two birds with one stone" is a boone and a blessing. And it isn't a stretch to say that literature and history are a natural pairing. History is itself a narrative of the past, and literature in the same way is a product of its historical context. But what are the differences between these two studies? And what do we do when we encounter the marriage of these studies in a work of historical fiction? How do we receive from historical fiction without doing violence to either the art of literature or the art of history? You've been asking for this one, and we just happen to have a history Ph.D. candidate on staff to help us think through these issues!
Read MoreHere at CenterForLit, we are historically known for not being huge fans of the worksheet. We want to listen quietly to what the author has to say instead of using their work in a way they did not intend. However it is true that our students need to develop their vocabulary and grammar skills, and like it or not this is usually one of the main goals of a literature workbook. What, then, are we to do?? There's no denying that the arts of vocabulary and grammar are strongly related, and even necessary predecessors, to the art of literature. So how do we make sure all of these areas get covered without sacrificing our literary philosophy? After all, as much as we'd like to, we can't add more hours to the day.
Read MoreWorksheets and book reports. Ah, you remember them well. In fact, they may be the reason your love of reading burned out as a child. Here at CenterForLit, we are sworn enemies of the comprehension question. And yet, you may wonder how else you are to know whether or not your student completed their reading-- not to mention whether or not they understood it! How do we as teachers cultivate a love of reading while also tracking our students' progress? And what is the proper balance between assignments and free reading?
Read MoreWe all know that literature and writing belong together like peanut butter and jelly, but what exactly should that look like? What is a literary analysis paper, and why do we write them? Does it harm our experience of a book by making us miserable, or can it be a helpful tool for enhancing our understanding?
There are some important tricks of the trade when it comes to crafting and defending a written argument about a work of literature, and some key factors to keep in mind as the teacher assigning such a project to your students. In the first Office Hours of the new year, we will be tackling this subject together. We know it sounds intimidating, but we promise that it doesn't have to be! With just a few essential pieces of information, your student can be worlds ahead when it's time for him to turn in his first college paper.
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