Welcome to Ask Sarah, a weekly advice column, where it’s teacher to teacher, learner to learner. My 18 years in the high school English classroom have taught me many lessons, but few as poignant as the power of questions and the belief that a good question is always better than a right answer. So, consider this a space where we value and tackle the messy questions, where we seek honest responses and try to cultivate some wisdom along the way. I can’t wait to see how we open teaching together!
A Year of Ask Sarah
52 weeks. Hundreds of questions. Thousands of words. Countless teachers making a difference. That’s what my first year of writing this column has been: a through line into this wonderful community of educators who continue to converge around questions, to unite in...
Winter Break Slump
Dear Sarah, What should I be doing to wrap up things for the calendar year and make sure my students don’t forget everything during winter break? Sincerely, Winter Break Slump Dear Winter Break Slump, I was born and raised in Iowa. (That’s corn, not potatoes.) Which...
Tough Conversations
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I7brB4ug-tQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> Dear Sarah, How do you have conversations in class about...
Tough Parent Conferences
Dear Sarah, How do you handle a tough parent-teacher conference? And, then, how do you recover from it? Sincerely, Tough Parent Conference Dear Tough Parent Conference, These are inescapable teacher moments, hopefully tempered by all of the other conferences that...
Should I grade discussions?
Dear Sarah, Do you ever just grade students on discussion? Sincerely, Grading Discussions Dear Grading Discussions, The quick answer is, “yes, I have graded students on discussion.” Discussion is, after all, embedded in our state standards. But I’ve become incredibly...
Channeling Patience
Dear Sarah, How long do I stay patient? It’s year nine of a second career. Not sure. Sincerely, Channeling Patience Dear Channeling Patience, Patience is tough business. I get it. There’s this fine line between practicing patience and being passive in the value of our...
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