Teen Literacy Tips » Inspiration http://www.nicksenger.com/blog Working to Improve the Teaching of Literature Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:08:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Inspiring Words for Teachers from a Dynamic Student http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/inspiring-words-for-teachers-from-a-dynamic-student http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/inspiring-words-for-teachers-from-a-dynamic-student#comments Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:02:29 +0000 Nick http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/?p=186 Notre Dame football players had Knute Rockne–Dallas, Texas teachers have Dalton Sherman. Just what you need at the beginning of a new school year: a fiery student reminding us what our jobs are all about. Watch this video, then play the theme from Rocky and get out there and teach!

Courtesy of Pat from the Successful Teaching blog via the Diigo Education Bookmarks.

]]> http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/inspiring-words-for-teachers-from-a-dynamic-student/feed 0 Is Your Teaching Glass Half Full or Half Empty? A Back to School Metaphor http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/is-your-teaching-glass-half-full-or-half-empty-a-back-to-school-metaphor http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/is-your-teaching-glass-half-full-or-half-empty-a-back-to-school-metaphor#comments Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:15:32 +0000 Nick http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/is-your-teaching-glass-half-full-or-half-empty-a-back-to-school-metaphor The following short video is either a metaphor for how I feel on the first day of school or an image of how the students see me–I haven’t quite decided yet.

In any case, the tag line says everything there is to say about teaching: A Glass and a Half Full of Joy.  For those of you starting school today, especially first-year teachers, may your year be full of wonder, inspiration and joy.

]]> http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/is-your-teaching-glass-half-full-or-half-empty-a-back-to-school-metaphor/feed 0 Reading Quotes for Your Bulletin Board http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/reading-quotes-for-your-bulletin-board http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/reading-quotes-for-your-bulletin-board#comments Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:27:49 +0000 Nick http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/reading-quotes-for-your-bulletin-board Jules VerneI’m always on the lookout for thought-provoking ideas in the form of quotes. I use them for bulletin boards, for classroom posters and to give to students for them to paraphrase and discuss. Here’s a short selection of quotes about reading for you to consider as you decorate your classroom:

  • “The writings of the wise are the only riches our posterity cannot squander.” Walter Savage Landor
  • “It is with books as with men, a very small number play a great part: the rest are confounded with the multitude.” Voltaire
  • “Books never annoy; they cost little, and they are always at hand, and ready at your call.” William Cobbett
  • “When others fail him, the wise man looks to the sure companionship of books.” Andrew Lang
  • “One can be amused or excited by a book that one’s intellect simply refused to take seriously.” George Orwell
  • “We need myths to get by. We need story; otherwise the tremendous randomness of experience overwhelms us. Story is what penetrates.” Robert Coover
  • “To read a book properly is to wake up and live, to acquire a renewed interest in one’s neighbors, more especially those who are alien to us in every way.” Henry Miller
  • “The novel is something that never was before and will not be again.” Eudora Welty
  • “People who don’t read are brutes.” Eugene Ionesco
  • “Through engagement with others, literature lets us imagine what it would be like to be different.” Denis Donoghue
  • “There is nothing more disgusting than the taste of a rotten book and nothing like the taste of a good book; nothing like it, nothing.” Philip Roth
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An opening song is also a great signal device to start class. I usually have an entry task on the overhead, and my students know that it needs to be completed by the time the song ends.

Here’s my current list of the positive songs I use:

(The first thing you need to know is that my absolute favorite song of all time is “Over the Rainbow,” so I play that song quite a bit. I have over sixty covers of the song, from country to alternative to dance remix versions, and everything in between.)

[Update: Click on songs to listen to samples or to buy from Amazon.com]

All American Rejects, “Move Along ”

Bachman Turner Overdrive, “Takin’ Care of Business”

The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations”

The Beatles

  • “Good Day Sunshine”
  • “Here Comes the Sun”

Natasha Bedingfield, “Unwritten”

Chris Cagle, “What a Beautiful Day”

Chicago, “25 or 6 to 4”

Petula Clark, “Downtown”

Coldplay

Sheryl Crow, “Soak Up the Sun”

Hilary Duff, “Shine”

Electric Light Orchestra

Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Gloria Estefan, “Get on Your Feet”

Five for Fighting

Fleetwood Mac, “Don’t Stop”

John Fogerty, “Sugar Sugar”

The Go-Gos, “We Got the Beat”

Goo Goo Dolls, “Better Days”

Green Day, “Time of Your Life”

Vince Guaraldi Trio, “Linus and Lucy”

High School Musical

Enrique Iglesias, “Hero”

Jars of Clay

Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle”

Joe Jackson, “Steppin’ Out”

Katrina and the Waves, “Walking on Sunshine”

Mat Kearney, “Nothing Left to Lose”

Kool and the Gang, “Celebration”

Kenny Loggins, “I’m All Right”

Martina McBride, “This One’s for the Girls”

Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”

Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dyin’”

Jo Dee Messina, “Dare to Dream”

Hannah Montana

Randy Newman, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”

Nichole Nordeman, “Legacy”

Tom Petty

Dan Powter, “Bad Day”

The Pretenders, “I’ll Stand by You”

Rascall Flatts, “Life is a Highway”

Relient K, “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been”

Sister Sledge, “We Are Family”

Sly and the Family Stone, “Everyday People”

Smash Mouth, “All Star”

Starship, “We Built This City”

The Stray Cats, “Rock This Town”

Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”

Switchfoot

Train, “When I Look to the Sky”

The Turtles, “Happy Together”

U2

  • “Beautiful Day”
  • “City of Blinding Light”

Van Halen

Jaci Velasquez, “We Can Make a Difference”

The Wailin’ Jennys, “One Voice”

John Williams

Steve Winwood, “While You See a Chance”

Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance”

Weird Al Yankovic

  • “The Saga Begins”
  • “Ebay“

Other Soundtrack Music

Now that you’ve seen my list, tell me your opinion or add your own favorites by leaving a comment below.

]]> http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/85-positive-songs-for-teachers-to-use-in-the-classroom/feed 39 10 Inspiring Teacher Videos to Lift Your Spirit http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/10-inspiring-teacher-videos-to-lift-your-spirit http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/10-inspiring-teacher-videos-to-lift-your-spirit#comments Sat, 11 Aug 2007 15:04:27 +0000 Nick http://www.nicksenger.com/blog/10-inspiring-teacher-videos-to-lift-your-spirit The following inspirational teacher videos will make you want to be a better teacher. Use them at the beginning of the year to set your goals, in the middle of the year to rejuvenate your spirit, or at the end of the year to celebrate your accomplishments. Share them with colleagues and friends, use them at faculty meetings, and show them to your students. And now, ten of the greatest teaching videos ever filmed:

1. Taylor Mali on What a Teacher Makes

2. The Impact of Reading Literature

3. The Make a Difference Movie

4. When you think you can’t you CAN:

5. Mr. Holland finally figures it out:

6. Mr. Keating inspires his students in Dead Poets Society:

7. The Importance of Teachers Who Care:

8. Hero in the Hallway:

9. Mr. Keating teaches his class how to read literature:

10. And the greatest cinematic teacher tribute of them all, the moving final act of Mr. Holland’s Opus:

Mr. Holland’s Opus

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