Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
20 Best Texts to Teach in January: Fresh Starts, New Beginnings, and Smart Classroom Momentum
January is one of the most important — and underestimated — teaching months of the year. After the break, students don’t need noise or novelty; they need texts that rebuild focus, invite reflection, and spark meaningful discussion. This curated list of 20 novels, short stories, poems, films, and podcasts offers flexible, high-impact texts that work across ages and formats, helping you reset classroom momentum without overloading your planning.
10 Personal Reading Rules We Should Let Students Break
We tell students to read for pleasure — then load them up with rules that would put most adults off books too. Sit at a desk. Finish what you start. Only read “serious” texts. In this post, I share the 10 reading rules I think we should let students break, from rereading favourites to abandoning books that don’t fit. When reading feels personal, comfortable, and choice-driven, students don’t just read more — they actually enjoy it.