Film Studies and ELA educator.
9th Grade ELA
When it comes to engaging ninth-grade students in literary analysis, few texts are as effective, versatile, or culturally resonant as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. While the film dazzles with its revolutionary animation and dynamic visual style, it also provides a rich foundation for deep thematic exploration, character analysis, and cinematic
ELA Lesson Plans
If you're homeschooling a middle or high schooler and the idea of teaching literary analysis makes your palms sweat, you're not alone. The good news? You don't need to be a trained English teacher to help your student become a confident literary thinker. With
Books
Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street offers a rich tapestry of themes, characters, and literary devices, making it a versatile text for classroom exploration. To help students connect deeply with the material, here are ten activities that blend creativity with critical thinking. 1. ✍️ "My Name"
Books
Differentiating Lessons to Meet Students Where They Are One of the biggest misconceptions about scaffolding is that it has to be complicated or time-consuming. But really, it’s about being intentional with how we guide students—especially when we know they’re coming in with different skill levels, confidence, and
Books
I taught Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street once, and quickly realized I needed to rethink my approach. In this post, I'll explain why, and why I’m building something new for students who need a little more structure, support, and literary confidence. What Wasn’
Analysis
Plus a Free Example Course Using Azazel Jacobs' His Three Daughters If you’ve ever wanted to teach (or learn) how to truly read a the rich language of film, a shot-by-shot analysis is one approach that can help you dig in to the details. Whether you're
AAPI Books
I've been focusing more on reading over the last few months, finally taking the time to read texts by Asian and Asian American authors. Lately, I'm using this literature as an opportunity to explore history, culture, and identity. I picked up The Liberators by E.J.
Essay Writing
When I was a senior in high school, I hated the college essay. I was angered by the very idea of it -- how was I supposed to describe myself in 500 words or less? How was someone going to get to know me in 500 words? It wasn'
Critical Conversations
I started watching Woman of the Hour because it popped up on my Netflix, and when my partner Googled it, he saw it had good reviews. And then I was Instagram re-targeted all of Netflix's promotions for the film as well. What really pushed me to not wait
Critical Conversations
Get Out is a film known for being about race, the topic is unavoidable. When I'm teaching or working with students, my job is to help students unpack the conversations around uncomfortable topics, such as race, and to also help them learn how to productively have these conversations
Film
When it comes to describing film, I often find myself using many words interchangeably... "scene" and "sequence", the composition of "a frame" and the composition of "a shot". When we're together using these words in context, the nuanced definitions don&
Books
When pairing a book and show, I wonder about the decision making behind the changes. Some I understand come from the nature of prose versus visual storytelling, or telling a story within the structure of a one hour episode in the season of a series. But when there are other changes, I think it leads