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How to Tackle Test Prep Writing Prompts in...
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My Favorite End-of-Class Routine Ideas: Calming the Chaos
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Why We Need to Say Good Riddance to...
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  • How to Tackle Test Prep Writing Prompts in 3 Easy Steps

    by Melissa Kruse

    Does it ever seem like standardized test writing prompts are intentionally wordy and confusing? If you have stumbled upon this post after finishing your testing for the year, enjoy! For…

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  • 8 Ways to Make Student-Led Discussions More Productive

    by Melissa Kruse

    Looking to improve student-led discussions? While these conversations may be packed with some of the most powerful skills we can teach students, they certainly pose plenty of challenges. Consider, for…

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  • How to Use Text Sets to Build Background Knowledge

    by Melissa Kruse

    Searching for engaging ways to build students’ background knowledge? Perhaps you need an activity to help students prepare to read a complex text, to write an essay, or to engage…

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  • My Favorite End-of-Class Routine Ideas: Calming the Chaos

    by Melissa Kruse

    What do your students do at the end of the class period? Do those last few minutes ever feel chaotic or unorganized? Without a structured routine, students will often line…

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  • 15 Fun Ways to Freshen Up Your Independent Reading Activities

    by Melissa Kruse

    Inside: Is your choice reading program feeling stale? Are the independent reading activities falling flat? We can engage students and keep book love fresh by weaving in new ideas from…

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  • Why We Need to Say Good Riddance to the Reading Log Forever

    by Melissa Kruse

    Inside:  Have reading logs on your mind? Still wildly popular, reading logs have serious negative impacts on our students’ relationships with reading. This post is full of honest answers about…

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  • 6 Fun Back-to-School Activities for Building Classroom Community

    by Melissa Kruse

    Inside:  Looking for an alternative to covering the syllabus or using awkward ice breakers on the first day of school? Try this multi-faceted approach to help students begin building relationships…

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  • 9 Questions that Help Students Analyze Diversity in Literature

    by Melissa Kruse

    Inside:  Wondering how to help students analyze diversity in literature? This post includes nine reflective questions to help guide conversations. It felt gigantic. The more she thought about it, Hailey…

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  • 6 Reading Routines Every Classroom Needs!

    by Melissa Kruse

    It’s happened to me frequently. I sit down, head swirling with ideas, clear about the direction I want to go with my instructional sequence. And then…as soon as I try…

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  • Creative Reflection Technique: Everyone Wins When Students Map their Learning

    by Melissa Kruse

    Inside: A meaningful end-of-year reflection technique for older students that combines the power of student-led learning with brain-based associations…  Ever wish you could just find a rainbow that will lead…

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  • Meaningful Ways to End the School Year

    by Melissa Kruse

    School’s out for summer! Well, not quite. But, the thought of summer break typically stirs butterflies in both teachers’ and students’ stomachs. Those flutters of excitement are nothing to feel…

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  • 10 Simple Ways to Engage Quiet Students

    by Melissa Kruse

    You’ve just asked one of the most thought-provoking questions of your teaching career, and you look out upon a sea of faces with anticipation. Fully expecting students to exude wonder…

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  • How to Use Reading Sprints for Motivation and Critical Thinking

    by Melissa Kruse

    Ever wish you could add more student motivation and critical thinking to your independent reading program? Depending on the year or the class, it’s normal for students to show varying…

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  • How to Cite Quotations in MLA Format: Teaching Ideas

    by Melissa Kruse

    MLA is fussy. When teaching students to cite quotations in MLA format, it can feel like we are really nit-picking at details. And, I suppose we are. Students need to…

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  • 5 Simple Routines to Ease into a New Semester

    by Melissa Kruse

    Does the thought of starting a new semester have you ready to dive under a blanket, binge-watch your favorite Netflix series, and cuddle up with a bowl of popcorn? A…

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  • What is Meaningful Homework?

    by Melissa Kruse

    What is meaningful homework? In middle and high school, stereotypical visions of students weighed down by heavy backpacks and up all hours of the night completing packets and studying for…

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  • How to Engage Students with Musical Debates

    by Melissa Kruse

    The world is disagreeing, and people feel disconnected. In the middle of what sometimes seems like chaos, we need to provide opportunities for students to converse…to share their ideas. Students…

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  • Teaching with Photographs: 3 Powerful Ways to Boost Literacy

    by Melissa Kruse

    Inside: Teaching with photographs is powerful. With just a single image, educators can convey complex ideas, helping students make deep connections. In an age of digital literacy, students need to…

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  • Effective Read Alouds for Teaching Literary Elements

    by Melissa Kruse

    If you are a middle or high school teacher, and you’re not incorporating picture books in your curriculum, why not!? Creating mini lessons with short texts is one of the…

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  • How to Get Started with Sketchnotes in the Classroom

    by Melissa Kruse

    So you want students to do something…to show thinking…to process learning…and to communicate information. But, maybe you’re tired of recycling the same approaches and just need something refreshing. Enter sketchnotes.…

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About Me

About Me

Reader, Writer, & Teacher

Hi, I'm Melissa. I'm passionate about teaching and learning. As an instructional coach, I'm always asking questions, trying new things, and reflecting. This is the space where I share my learning with others.

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