by Melissa Bryan, Guest Contributor In the 20th Century, Olson argued against the weak simile. Pound called for a poetry that is "austere, direct, free from emotional slither." Tristan Tzara announced the death of logic, and by extension, the logic of comparisons. Contemporary poets raised on the poetics of these masters often discard simile, not even deigning to employ it in the aforementioned ironic contexts. Metaphor doesn't fare much better. Nothing is like anything else;

by Agatha Regal-Guerra, Guest Contributor Reading is a necessity. Reading is fundamental. Reading is fun. Ok, enough with the short sentences that don’t convey too much. “Reading is a necessity” is important because information is key to a clear path to what we want or need. “Reading is fundamental” creates basic building blocks. “Reading is fun” is the truth (says this language arts teacher). I sincerely believe if you present something with enthusiasm and/or intrigue (for e

by Sandi Szczepanski, Guest Contributor What is a Conference? A conference is basically a short interaction (5-7 minutes) between the teacher and the student. The teacher is working to individualize instruction and provide strategies that students will later apply on their own. Conversation, Not Interrogation The key to an effective conference is to make it a conversation between you and the individual student. Keep a nurturing tone and move to the student’s location and lev