Our Borrowed Binder

Description

It’s Sunday night. We’ve all had the Scaries visit us while we are watching an awards show or binging a favorite series trying not to think about the papers we didn’t grade. And we are also trying not to think about third period – that class (there’s always that class) demanding we bring our best because they know, you know they (all of your students) deserve “the why” and a how worth doing.

Every English teachers knows the feeling of staring at a list of dense standards and a district lesson plan template, trying to balance institutional requirements with human commitments. You don’t need another 400-age academic textbook or consumable workbook or cute busywork activities that leave youth disconnected and even offended sometimes. They are ready to engage and need you to set up ways of being that welcome conversation, consideration, imagination, and care.

Filled with sticky-note wisdom and adaptable routines, The Borrowed Binder is a crowdsourced collection of classroom tested ELA activities generously shared by practicing educators across the country through a Facebook call one frantic Sunday evening years ago. We hope this resource is a pedagogical compass you will reach for every single week (or day) to nurture learning spaces that offer choices, welcome voices, and uncover all the things that English language arts can do for our hearts and minds.