By Jessica Salfia Understanding visual rhetoric is not just an important part of most AP Language and Composition curriculums, but it is an essential skill our students need as members of society. We are bombarded with images—images intended to persuade and influence us. Our students must be able to identify Read more…
By Jessica Salfia This summer and fall my 11th grade Advanced Placement: Language and Composition students read Water Street by Crystal Wilkinson. An anthology of short stories about the residents of a mostly black community in Kentucky, the characters of Water Street weave and wend in and out of each Read more…
By Jessica Salfia With the new school year in full swing, I’ve seen teachers all over Facebook and Twitter sharing donors choose projects and Amazon Wish Lists filled with books for their classroom libraries and curriculums. As you continue buy books to diversify your classroom libraries, think about the ways Read more…
Growing up Appalachian Growing up in Appalachia, I have always felt an unbreakable connection to home and a deep appreciation of place. I can remember, as a very young child, vacationing away from West Virginia for the first time. The days were dizzying with sun and laughter, and as I Read more…
By Karla Hilliard My former principal was famous for his colloquialisms and aphorisms. So much so that part of his retirement celebration was dedicated to them. Like, “Don’t jump on your buddy’s back and pull him down in the mud.” And “Every choice has a consequence either good or bad.” Read more…