Anthony Risko

Blended or flipped classrooms exist to challenge the paradigm that a teacher is the holder of all knowledge and best dispels that knowledge to students through lecture or direct in-person instruction. In a blended or flipped classroom, teachers leverage technology, independent practice time, and group discovery activities which allow students … Read more

Finding money within a school’s budget to purchase curriculum materials or an online subscription to an educational product can be challenging since funds are not always available.  Fortunately, we have several suggestions based on other teachers’ successes of how they have found funding for their curriculum and software purchases, and … Read more

Using sentence variety is an essential aspect of effective writing. It involves incorporating different sentence structures and lengths to create a more engaging and interesting piece of writing. Without sentence variety, writing can become monotonous and boring which causes readers to lose interest and engagement. In contrast, a writer who … Read more

Implementing an online learning program in your English/Language Arts classroom can be a daunting task, but with careful planning and preparation, it can be a highly successful and rewarding experience for both you and your students. Here are some important steps to consider: Establish Clear Goals and Objectives:  Before you … Read more

Yes – you’re out there on the front lines, defending yourself and your job from all sides.  No – not from your administration.  No – not from Chat-GPT.  From your students!   Be sure to share these 7 reasons why your English/Language Arts class is so important to your students (other … Read more

Making a grammar lesson stand out to students can be challenging, but here are some easy ways to make your lessons more engaging and memorable: Use Real-Life Examples: Use examples from everyday life or from popular culture to show students how grammar is used (…or not used) properly to reinforce … Read more

One element of writing that sets apart the good writers from the great writers is voice. Voice is more so an art, not simply a skill to be taught and learned. Voice develops over time, voice can be refined, and voice can even change as an author changes. Voice may even … Read more

In this series, we are exploring the concept of voice in writing. Voice is a complex art that many writers develop over time. However, teachers in middle school can start teaching voice by focusing on the five elements: diction, syntax, tone, imagery and detail. In this second installment of the voice series, … Read more

In this series, we are exploring the concept of voice in writing. Voice is a complex art that many writers develop over time. However, teachers in middle school can start teaching voice by focusing on the five elements: diction, syntax, tone, imagery and detail. In this third installment of the voice series, … Read more

In our recent series for middle school ELA teachers, we have been exploring the concept of voice in writing. We’ve discussed diction, syntax, and tone – foundational components for young writers to understand as they develop their own author voice. In our last two installments of this series, we’ll dive … Read more