Does anyone teach HS English?

I would love to chat with you about curriculum!

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

I do! FM me if you have any questions.

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

Me!!

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

I did--for 10 years (now SAHM).

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

I don't, but does your district use curriculum mapping? (Rubicon?) you can browse other teacher's curriculum

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

I work for the DOE. Each HS is independent of one another. I am looking to see what other people do or have done in their classrooms.

My principal wants the workshop model, but I am not sure how that works in a 45 minute period.

What is your teaching style like?

What novels do you use?


Do you teach literature or skills? (This is the biggest debate)


Does your school have a literacy coach?


Thanks so very much!

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

I teach both middle school (grade 8) and high school (grade 9). My teaching style is more student centered. I focus on the skills more in grade 8, but I also dedicate some time to it in grade 9.

I do the workshop model a lot. My students sit in groups of four, however it is not set up with the desk facing each other ( a bit hard to explain). I do this because it makes it easier to do a workshop model. My students spend 5 min on their do now. We share for about 3 min. I then do a short mini lesson and we do a example together as a class. I then pose a question to them and give them a certain amount of time to work in groups and then each group shares. (I assign group leaders each marking period. group leaders records, leads the discussion and speaks for the group). On certain assignments I give each student in the group a job.

I set my week up this way: MWF is dedicated towards literature and TTH is dedicated to writing/grammar. It keeps me organized and it helps to vary my lessons.

We used to have a literacy coach, however she retired last year. We now have an AP of English.

This year we are reading (grade 9) Shabanu, Of Mice and Men, Flowers for Algernon, Fallen Angels, Romeo and Juliet, Anthem , various short stories and poetry.

I always end my lessons by saying "Are there any question, comments or concerns". I know it may seem a bit corny but my students love it and always remind me to do it before class is over.

Hope this helps.

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

I'm an English teacher!

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

What is your teaching style like?

I am very laid back as a teacher. I incorporate different methods. I do workshop at times, other times I do large group discussions, Sometimes I have students work independently while I give one on one time to students who are struggling. My school is really pushing differentiated instruction right now.

What novels do you use?
11th grade: Death of a Salesman (play), The Great Gatsby, The Bluest Eye, Fences, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Separate Peace (not my favorite...), Huck Finn

12th Grade: The Stranger, Cuckoo's Nest, The Metamorphosis, Miss Lonelyhearts, Hamlet, Macbeth

Do you teach literature or skills? (This is the biggest debate)
In 12th grade I base the vast majority of my lessons on the literature and related concepts. We do a unit on research papers.

In 11th grade I have to split my time three ways: SAT prep, Regent's prep and literature. In our school we have to teach skills once a week (just implemented last year.)

Does your school have a literacy coach?

Yes, she's great--though I don't teach literacy anymore.


Thanks so very much!

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

My principal wants the workshop model, but I am not sure how that works in a 45 minute period.

We do the workshop model in my school but all English classes are double periods with the exception of Seniors

What novels do you use?

9th Grade: Monster, Speak, Mama's Girl, Living up the Street, Romeo and Juliet and Of Mice and Men

12th Grade: Great Expectations, My Sister's Keeper, The Lovely Bones, A Seperate Peace, Hamlet, and The Glass Castle


Do you teach literature or skills?

We do a combination of both


Does your school have a literacy coach?

NO!!!


I also teach in NYC. Our HS has a new principal this year who is making big changes (hence the double periods of english in all grades)

Message edited 9/29/2008 8:53:55 PM.

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

My situation sounds very similar to Snickers...

Anyway, I taught 10th, 11th and 12th, as well as AP Lit (12th).

What is your teaching style like? Like Snickers, very laid-back. Mostly large-group, but once a cycle (we had a 7-day cycle schedule) I would do group projects. I would utilize groups for AP multiple-choice practice exams frequently.

What novels do you use?
10th: TKAM, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, Tuesdays with Morrie etc.

11th: Macbeth, The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, Joy Luck Club, The Crucible, Ethan Frome, Death of a Salesman, etc.

12th: Hamlet, Othello, Jekyll and Hyde, The Awakening, A Dollhouse, etc.

AP: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Fences, The Piano Lesson, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Bluest Eye, etc. We also did a TON of short stories and poetry.


Do you teach literature or skills? (This is the biggest debate)
Honestly, I found myself gravitating mostly toward literature. However, in 10th and 11th we had to teach a lot of Regents prep stuff as well as SAT prep for 11th. For AP, I did mini-lessons on skills as necessary--especially essay writing. But really, I drilled literary elements constantly as well as vocabulary...and essay structure. Boy, I guess I was doing quite a bit of "skill work!" Each grade was assigned a "big"research project yearly, so that took up a bit of time as well.


Does your school have a literacy coach?
Nope--Catholic school!

Re: Does anyone teach HS English?

Thanks for all of your responses. We seem to all be using the same literature! That is good!

My principal argues with me about everything. She wants the kids to only read non-fiction and short stories. She is not nor ever has been an English teacher.

I am the literacy coach and she is driving me nuts! I think it is time for a new job!