Nicholas Provenzano

High School English Teacher/The Nerdy Teacher

My name is Nicholas Provenzano and I'm a high school English teacher and edublogger. I write for Edutopia and my own site TheNerdyTeacher.com

I'm passionate about moving to a paperless environment and integrating technology into the classroom. I love working with my PLN and coming up with exciting new projects.

Follow Me

Blog: http://www.thenerdyteacher.com

Posts

Game-Based Learning
Cultivating Literacy Skills With Interactive Fiction
This lesson plan gives students practice with coding—no prior experience needed—and fosters literacy skills like plotting and proofreading.
Literacy
Using Humor to Teach Shakespeare
Given an assignment to create a funny abridged version of a play like Romeo and Juliet, students will work hard to understand the original.
Maker Education
Acknowledging Ungraded Skills
An argument for using badges in makerspaces to recognize the skills students gain outside the traditional curriculum.
Student Engagement
3 Ways to Make Meaningful Connections With Your Students
Edutopia blogger Nick Provenzano believes there's more to teaching than dispensing curriculum, and he shares three practices that lead students and their families to trust him on a personal level.
Creativity
Creativity in the Classroom
In a testing-driven environment, it's critical that we foster student creativity in the classroom, whether through open-ended projects, 20 percent time, or team-building activities.
Teacher Wellness
Teacher Burnout: 4 Warning Signs
Edutopia blogger Nick Provenzano confronts the weary heartbreak of teacher burnout by offering four warning signs to help recognize it in yourself and your colleagues.
Student Engagement
4 Practices for Increasing Student Engagement
Spend the first five minutes of each class focusing on your students as people. Then keep them engaged through the agency of makerspaces, PBL, or Genius Hour/20 Time.
Learning Environments
Ditching the Desk
Remove the teacher's desk and students feel more comfortable and less intimidated, teachers feel more active and engaged, and classroom learning happens in a shared space.
Teacher Leadership
20 Movies Every Educator Should See
These are the top 20 movies every educator should watch. While every movie is not specifically about educators, there is definitely something to take away from each.
Student Engagement
Re-Energize Your Classroom in the New Year
Inviting student agency in the New Year encourages buy-in during the long winter months. Student ownership inspires new ways of engagement and more meaningful lessons.
Teacher Wellness
Stop, Drop, and Roll With It: Teacher Burnout Prevention
Prevent teacher burnout by sustaining yourself with a non-education hobby, finding a teammate for shared venting, regular journaling or blogging, and finding reasons to laugh.
School Climate
The 2015 Nerdy Teacher Holiday Gift Guide
For the nerdy teacher who has everything -- except maybe a Bluetooth beanie hat, a fisheye phone lens, or the to-die-for fragrances of zombie-repellant soap.
Professional Development
The Reflective Teacher: Taking a Long Look
Reflection is critical to your continued growth as a teacher, whether you seek student feedback, leave yourself sticky notes, or blog your thoughts for colleagues.
Family Engagement
5 Parent-Teacher Conference Prep Tips
When prepping for parent conferences, communicate with them early and often, keep data handy, balance the conversation, invite the student, and make the experience pleasant.
Teacher Wellness
2016 Teacher Gift Guide
Looking for a gift for an amazing teacher? We’ve got you covered.

Follow Me

Posts

.css-1sk4066:hover{background:#d1ecfa;}Cultivating Literacy Skills With Interactive Fiction

Cultivating Literacy Skills With Interactive Fiction