Welcome to Teen Literacy Tips
I must be crazy to start this blog at the end of the school year. Not only is this the busiest time of the year for me, but most of you are probably already winding down your own school year, if you haven’t finished already. Unless, of course, you’re a homeschooler, in which case you’re probably laughing at the rest of us, or sitting at your computer with a smug smile saying to yourself, “I don’t have to worry about ending the school year, our schooling flows naturally from our life.” Okay. Don’t rub it in.
In any case, welcome to Teen Literacy Tips. I’m Nick Senger and I teach eighth grade language arts at a Catholic school in Spokane, Washington. This is my seventeenth year of teaching and my twelfth year as vice principal. You can read more about me and some of my underlying literacy principles on the about Nick page. The purpose of this blog and this site is to advance the cause of teen literacy by giving you the tools you need to improve reading instruction to teenagers. As a favor to me and to the cause of Teen Literacy, please tell as many people as you can about this site. There are precious few valuable resources on the web for this age group.
Some of you are teachers or administrators, some of you are homeschooling parents, some of you are parents who want to augment your teen’s classroom education. Some of you may even be teens who have stumbled across this site. You are all welcome here.
Why don’t you introduce yourself by leaving a comment? Since this is the very first Teen Literacy Tips post, you can say that you got involved from the very beginning. In fact, one of you is going to be the very first person to leave a comment. I wish I had a prize for you, but you’ll just have to be satisfied with the knowledge that you were the first.
Wander around the rest of the site, especially the resources page. I’ve already posted a few documents and articles, and even a free audiobook.
This post is a bit longer than I had intended (probably not the last time this will happen!), so let me just thank you again for being here, and I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.
I’ve enjoyed Literary Compass and look forward to this new endeavor, Nick!
Wow, Nick! You are an answer to prayers! I volunteered to lead a high school homeschool British Lit and History class next year. So far I have 9 students ranging from 9th to 12 grade (two are my own, 10th and 11th). I have never done anything like this before and I am just hoping that my own love of literature and history will guide me through this! I think your new endeavor will be a wonderful aid to me! Thank you for so generously giving of your time! I look forward to participating.
Blessings,
Faith
Maureen: Thanks for being the first to comment! The support is greatly appreciated.
Faith: You will do great next year, I’m sure. Love of your subject goes a long way. I hope this site is helpful to you on your journey.
Hi Nick,
Another homeschooling mom here. I’ve shared your Literary Compass site with our Catholic homeschooling group(St. Thomas Aquinas Homeschoolers of the Rochester Area), and have heard many positive comments. Everyone loves your ROMAN Reading ebook. Thanks for all the wonderful insight. My boys are 10 and 13, and you are so tuned in to that 8th grade boy mindset – the LEGO movies, Tolkien, Star Wars — all big topics in our house. Thanks and keep it up!
Peace,
Maura
Maura: I guess I’m just an eighth-grader in a big body! I’m glad people like ROMAN Reading. If there’s enough interest out there, I may expand it into a print book with exercises in the back for students to practice with. Thanks so much for your comments.