Articles written by Matthew Huddleston

What is Helium

About me - Matthew Huddleston

I am the son a career US Army father who served in Europe during the Cold War and fought with VII Corps during the 1st Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. I attended the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School in 1989-90, and went on to stay at the

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Entertainment > Movie Analysis Movie analysis: What we can learn from movies like "300": 1 of 18
300 Entertains as the Greeks Did Homer's Odyssey is the literary benchmark of the Heroic Quest. The epic poem, now commonly found in American high school textbooks, is also a window into the classrooms (or relative equivalent) of a... More..
Education > Secondary School (Other) How to survive high school: 1 of 5
Survival of the Funnest!?! There is no question but that the American public high school system needs improvement in general. The proof of that is in the many schools around the nation which are attempting radical changes to curriculum, schedules, styles, student/community interaction, and anything else to recharge th... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Justice System Should the U.S. Senate confirm Sonia Sotomayor as President Obama's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court?: 3 of 12
By the Constitution, Sonia Sotomayor Shall be Approved. The Constitution of the United States is clear on the appointment of Supreme Court Justices by the President. According to Article II, Section 2, the President, shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Judges of the Supr... More..
Education > Homework & Testing How involved should parents be in kids' homework?: 6 of 18
Involvement Equals Success As a teacher and a parent, I find it almost appalling that the question of parental involvement in student work needs to be discussed. Yet, in my work as a teacher, I see the tragic results of the lack of parent involvement on a daily basis. I use the word tragic purposely, beca... More..
Education > Education (Other) Teaching tips: Using peer critiques and peer grading effectively in the classroom: 3 of 6
Peer Group Testing and Test Review As a secondary English teacher, the first message I present to my students at the onset of each course is that language arts is about communication. Communication skills taught in the classroom come in the basic forms of reading analysis, writing response, and oral presen... More..
Education > Homework & Testing How to help your child with history: 3 of 6
History is Alive! One of the most annoying aspects of teaching history in school is the restrictions and demands on the coursework from textbook based curriculum. History is not sub-headings and review questions, words to know and pie charts, multiple choice tests and short answers. History is alive! Whe... More..
Education > Education (Other) Teaching tips: Step-by-step guide to preparing students for presentations: 4 of 7
Mumbling voice shuffling feet averted eyes fidgeting fingers on crumpling note cards These are the common elements of a student struggling to give an oral presentation in front of a class of their peers. As oral presentations and public speaking continues to be an important part of the curriculum at all leve... More..
Education > Education (Other) Interdisciplinary learning: Tips for writing across the school curriculum: 7 of 11
Get on the R.A.F.T. As an English/Language Arts teacher, I am constantly besieged by my colleagues from other curriculums about ways to incorporate student writing assignments into their subjects. Most other areas of study lend themselves easily to the standard research-based writing assignment. Those projects... More..
Education > College Study Tips From high school to college: Key academic transitions and success tips: 6 of 9
Being prepared for the transition from high school academics to college academics is a constant clarion call from teachers, counselors, parents, and even your friends already in college. Still, many college freshmen may seem initially overwhelmed by the rigors of college academics. This can be the case whether you are att... More..
Education > Study Skills & Test Taking Study tips for students studying foreign languages: 4 of 6
Making Foreign Language a Part of Your Daily Life Learning to use a foreign language and doing well in a high school foreign language class are not always inclusive. Due to the limited nature of exposure to language for most high school foreign language classes, emphasis is often on abstract vocabulary and ... More..