Welcome to The Teaching Factor! As an author and educator for over two decades I am constantly asked what I am working on, researching, and creating to elevate the literacy learners in the classrooms where I teach. I use this blog is a site to share lesson ideas and digital tools that can enhance content literacy skills and strengthen student learning. My aim is to offer teachers, and others working in the field of education, practical strategies from technology to literacy to enhance and extend content instruction, improve student motivation and achievement so every student can reach excellence.
I’m an open-source practitioner dedicated to supporting educators and sharing with teachers. I would not be here today without the people – professors, fellow teachers, friends, and mentors – who have encouraged me. My Resources Page is packed with tools, lessons, and teaching material that I created and use with my students. I update it frequently, and you’re welcome to use, adapt, or share this open content for non-commercial purposes. Feel free to implement it in your own classroom and modify it as needed.
If you’re a consultant, content creator, or presenter and want to reference my work and are unsure how to do, feel free to contact me. I’m happy to help, share additional resources relevant to your project, and clarify as needed.
The views I express on this blog are my own and personal. They should not be thought of as a reflection of the views of my school or employers.
I am glad that you are here! Let me know how I might support your learning.
The Teaching Factor 
I have been looking for a blog like this for a long time. Great insight and excellent information…. Thank You!
I just read your blog post on the Nerdy Book Club, “Pay It Forward: Middle School Readers are Rock Stars for Younger Kids.” It is wonderful. I work for a children’s literacy nonprofit in Nashville, TN, Book’em. We would love to re-post your post on our blog “Bookemnashville.wordpress.com” and/or link to the post from our Facebook and Twitter sites – if that is okay with you. Let me know. Thanks for all you do to help our children. Martha Ann Pilcher, Book’em, volunteers@bookem-kids.org.
Hi Michele – I would love a copy of your business curriculum for middle school students. It sounds amazing.
Thank you,
Louise
Louise, Thank you for your kind words. If you go to the actual post you should be able to click on to the curriculum which is a Google Doc. If you are unable to access it, please email me. Regards, Michele
Hi,
I love the idea of the symbolism/ foldable for To Kill a Mockingbird. I was wandering if you had or would mind sharing some more details about it. For example, the links for QR codes, and I cant read what the the last two animals are. I think this would be great to go over the symbolism in the book since my students read for their summer reading and haven’t had any teacher instruction yet. Thanks Holly Green
hollygreenok@gmail.com
Thank you so much Holly for your email, I have sent you a link to the foldable in another email and the link to the QR Code. If you have any other questions please email me. There are a lot of new resources for teaching To Kill a Mockingbird that you might also want to check out for teaching this great classic text. This includes Using Informational Text to Teach To Kill A Mockingbird by Susan Chenelle and Audrey Fisch (2014). Also, Facing History and Ourselves has a curriculum for To Kill a Mockingbird that is forth coming this fall. You can find more information about it on http://www.facinghistory.org. All the best in the new school year. Regards, Michele
I love your ideas! Stumbled upon your blog when looking for To Kill A Mockingbird materials!! [It’s my first year teaching this– which is intimidating when the kids have such a high stake test at the end! Trying to make sure I am going about teaching it in the right way!] Definitely getting added to my reading list!!
Thank you so much for your positive feedback. This is my third year teaching TKAM and I am always changing things up to help my students read closely to understand the complexity and beauty of the text.
I would love a copy of the answers to your TKAM amazing race! Did you do this activity after they were finished with the novel?
Kara, my students completed the Amazing Race activity after they read chapter 15 and 16. Right before the trial. As for the answers, I do not have an answer key but I guess that is something I have to work on now.
Hi – I’m a little late discovering this wonderful resource and would like to do the amazing race with my students (we just started part 2 of TKAM). Would you be willing to share the foldable and QRC handouts/key.
I, too, am late in finding this great resource. I came across Notice and Note, and would love a copy of the foldable you made to go with TKAM. Would you mind also sharing your Amazing Race activity as well. How do you find the time to come up with such great material? Thank you.
Thank you for all your kind words. I am always inspired to create materials that will engage my students. Here is a link to the Amazing Race activity that we did. Keep in mind that the clues are specific to places in my school. Hope it is a success with your students.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cucRNLpHjaF-VoUoR3WQ3FTYYKfUoe_j088jDCPAobg/edit?usp=sharing
As for the note and notice specific to TKAM, I am not sure which one you are referring to but I will look through my files and share what I have in an email.
Hello! I am teaching TKAM and love your Amazing Race lesson and symbolism lesson. Would you mind sharing your documents for these? I would really appreciate it! Thank you so much!
I’d also love the TKAM Amazing Race lesson!
Hello! I am going to be teaching TKAM soon, and I absolutely love your Amazing Race idea. I participated in one for professional development and had a blast. I never thought about how I could utilize this for a novel. I don’t know if you still have the resources to what you did, but I would love to be able to look at them and adapt to fit our needs. Thanks so much! You are very creative.
Hi Stacy,
All of the materials are posted on the blog and if there is anything in particular you are looking for, email me and I would be happy to help.
Thanks for sharing your resources. They are awesome!
Hi Michele, I am looking to connect. I am a podcaster and I would like to have you on my show “Critical Conversations”. I am very interested.
I would be more than happy to connect and learn more. Please email me directly at theteachingfactor@gmail.com
I look forward to speaking with you. Best,
Michele