Welcome to Lit Guides!
photo credit: Dvortygirl
Welcome to Lit Guides — a site designed to help students, teachers, and parents navigate the complex of waters of great literature and great writing. I would love any suggestions you may have to help me help you even better: kgalles@msn.com.
First, a bit about my motivation to create this website: One year ago, I decided I needed a break from the demands of the classroom. I had taught high school English, full-time, for fifteen years and had experienced the full gamut of courses — from Advanced Placement Literature and Composition to English 9 to College Composition to Communications to Drama to Mass Media to… well, I basically covered all the bases…
Fortunately, although I needed a break from the rigors of public education, the day I stepped away from the classroom I still found my students to be just as delightful as I had at the beginning (especially after I had figured out a few things about classroom management!). Even on the very last day of the school year, one of my 9th graders had me (secretly) in stitches as he attempted so painfully to “be good” during the last few minutes of a final exam.
However, I realized the only time I was enjoying teaching were those minutes spent with my students. I was no longer as excited about planning interesting, engaging lessons, I had begun to dread the stacks of never-ending papers, and I realized that… well… I just wasn’t having enough fun anymore.
So, with the generous support of my husband (who had family insurance coverage as well as an optimistic belief in me), I asked my principal for a year’s leave to recharge my battery. He said all the right words and sent me on my way.
The question remained… what the heck was I going to do with myself? Well, the answer resulted in my first website — Book Club Classics – a website dedicated to helping book clubs rediscover the classics (which I had taught countless times). I quickly realized two things — most book clubs do not want to read the classics (who knew?!?) and I loved blogging. Both realizations were surprising to me, especially the second one. (I really do think book clubs would really enjoy the classics as adults, even if they hated them as adolescents).
Initially I thought a blog was a self-indulgent online journal, with little to offer its readers. Boy, was I wrong! I soon learned that a “blog” is a tool — like a radio or a television — and that the sheer amount of information available is stunning (and entertaining and educational and inspiring and frequently free…). So, despite my erronous belief concerning book clubs and the classics, my life soon became filled with finding and sharing all sorts of other great resources for book clubs and readers of all kinds.
However, I had spent an entire summer creating 20 kits on classic literature that were not getting any use… And, after a year outside the classroom, I really missed teaching. I also realized that my former classroom, as much as I loved the families and students of that community, just wasn’t the right fit any more. For one thing, I didn’t want to give up the flexibility of an online existence.
So, I decided it was time to start another website — for teachers, students, and parents — and to experience the world of online learning.
So, in addition to my classic kits (modified for classroom use), I will attempt to be a source of all sort of educational resources. Here is my initial plan –
Monday – The world of teaching (blog about my experience teaching online)
Tuesday — Grammar Tips!
Wednesday — What’s new?
Friday – Great links
The site will offer mentoring for teachers, tutoring for students, and support for parents, too. And, anything else YOU can think of!
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Comments
Thank you, Heather!! Your site looks great — I just added it to my reader, too! Nice to meet you! Feel free to suggest what future tips you’d like to see, too!
[...] new commenters — which I love! So, I would definitely do this again with my new site, LitGuides.com, and I hope Daniel isn’t too dismayed by any negative [...]
I’ve been reading your Classics Blog for a while now, and just found this one through your interview with Booking Mama. Just wanted you to know that I’m adding you to my google reader - I can’t wait to see what other interesting tidbits you’ll post.
Oh, and I’m excited about the Grammar tips. I’m the official proofreader for all my family and friends, so new tips/reminders are always good.