To advance my career as a secondary English language arts educator, I follow several professional organizations. Here are a few that I follow.
Experimenting with AI Magic School Plus demonstrated its effectiveness as a powerful efficiency tool, primarily for rapidly generating standards-aligned lesson materials, assessments, and differentiated content. The platform’s ease of use and ability to significantly reduce planning time are major pros, making it highly recommendable for busy educators. However, the output requires careful human review and refinement to ensure it perfectly aligns with specific classroom nuances and student needs. Ultimately, the tool functions best as an essential teaching co-pilot, not a replacement for professional judgment.
Engaging with TikTok Creators regarding teaching and education has allowed me to move beyond passive consumption of content and into active professional dialogue. By sharing my own experiences, I received feedback and a new perspective on how to differentiate that specific task for diverse learners. My key takeaway from this interaction is the value of saving and going back to videos to create that connection with a global PLN provides a range of solutions that I wouldn’t have discovered within the vacuum of my own classroom, effectively extending my learning.
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a non-profit organization that helps educators use technology to improve teaching and learning through professional development and established standards.
The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) is an international organization dedicated to helping educators who work with students in grades 5-9. Through professional development, research, and resources, AMLE provides guidance and support to help educators create schools that are responsive to the unique needs of young adolescents.
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is a professional organization dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English and language arts at all levels of education. It provides a forum for educators to share best practices, offers professional development and resources, and advocates for policies that support literacy and effective language arts instruction.
Creekside Middle School is a public middle school in Carmel, Indiana, serving students in grades 6-8. A National Blue Ribbon Award and Four Star School recipient, it is known for its academic excellence, consistently ranking among the top middle schools in the state. The school is part of the Carmel Clay Schools district and is committed to fostering a compassionate and innovative learning environment.
The Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) is a non-profit organization that partners with Carmel Clay Schools to provide grants for innovative classroom projects and scholarships for graduating seniors.
This site provides educators with contemporary international literature translated into English, organized by country and theme. It includes contextual eyes-on-the-ground essays and multimedia to help students connect with voices from outside the Western canon.
The Pulitzer Center offers lesson plans based on underreported global issues, from climate change to human rights. It encourages students to practice “global journalism” by analyzing how media shapes our understanding of international events.
Designed for secondary classrooms, this program offers curriculum units that ask students to step into the shoes of global decision-makers. It uses a “competing views” approach to help students understand the complexity of international conflicts and policy.
This platform provides award-winning films and photo essays that explore cultural, environmental, and social issues through a humanistic lens. Each story is accompanied by a teaching guide that fosters empathy and critical thinking about our shared humanity.
The UN provides a “Student Resources” portal that breaks down the 17 SDGs into manageable lessons for middle and high schoolers. These materials help students see how their local actions relate to global goals like ending poverty and protecting the planet.