About Me

Who Am I?

Passionate. Dedicated. Creative. Sometimes a little overwhelmed by the perfect classrooms I see on Pinterest. An avid reader of research, middle grades books, and practical teaching guides. An educator who strives to make each activity in her classroom as authentic and meaningful as possible. A teacher who strives to improve every day, despite the massive quantities of paperwork, meetings, and standardized tests that are thrust upon me.

I imagine we have a lot in common.

I am currently in my sixth year of teaching middle school English, and I love it. I love seeing students who have struggled learn to love learning and become successful readers. I love seeing students who have been bored in their previous classes come to life with creative opportunities that push their boundaries. I love getting e-mails from parents letting me know that their children have been forever changed because of the experiences we have shared in our classroom.

Students working together to solve main idea clues during a class escape game.

I created this blog in order to share practical tips, ideas, and lesson plans regarding the classroom needs that are closest to my heart: mainly, integrating social-emotional learning into a rigorous ELA curriculum, creating authentic purpose and meaning for learning, and engaging students in high-quality learning experiences that provide opportunities for differentiation at all levels. If students believe that our work in the classroom is important and are held to high, yet achievable, standards, every child can succeed.

On a more personal note, I am happily married (during a Lord of the Rings themed wedding), with a wonderful support network of friends and family that keeps me grounded when I get a little overexcited about my teaching. I love hiking, cooking, traveling, and (obviously) reading. 

If you want to try more of what I do in the classroom, feel free to stop by the store I share with another fabulous teacher at Teacherspayteachers.com. We have games, substitute plans, close reading lessons, short stories, and more, all designed to make life a little easier when planning for an engaging, authentic classroom. 

I hope these resources are helpful, and I thank you for being here!

PS: If you live in the Nashville area and are looking for a tutor, you can find my tutor profile at https://www.theknowledgeroundtable.com/tutors/heather1087/.