Name: Pam Webb
School: Lake Pend Oreille School District #84

How do you use Shmoop?

Students: Scintillating seriously with a touch of silly videos to help students better understand concepts (What is Gothic?Gothic?), novels (e.g. Frankenstein, Jane Eyre); summaries; quizzes; Best of the Web; essay questions. We trot our plate through the Shmoop buffet, which is pretty buff, and gluten free.

Me: If I don't get what Emily (et. al.) is saying in her poems, or want to know some fun brain facts to pass on to my students, or need some bodacious discussion questions, I turn to Shmoop. If I want to be entertained while preparing a lesson plan, I dial in a video. I often plump up my coolness factor with these vids. The students are amazed and shocked that English Literature can actually be fun at times.

We are loving these adjectives to describe us: "buff," "bodacious," and "gluten-free." And we're here to help.

What's your favorite Shmoop product and why?

Do I have to pick one? If so—videos. Students find them hilarious and actually learn something and because they get tired of hearing from me. Second choice: AP prep stuff. I gotta keep ahead of those smartypants kids in my class and these lessons and info guides help me get caught up and sometimes two steps ahead of them.

Those smartypants kids.

What is the coolest experience you've had using Shmoop?

I prepared a comparison/contrast essay poetry lesson plan using your two Emily poems on Fall. It worked for both my AP'sters and reg English kiddos.

Best wrong answer you've ever seen on a test?

"Meat." I had a student who always put down "meat" if he didn't know the answer.

Hopefully you're not a vegetarian.

Anything else to add?

Shmoop rocks. I get a kick out your sense of humor. As Mary Poppins once said, "A little bit of snarky helps the English Lit go down..."

Mary Poppins would have been the perfect Shmooper.

Do you know a Shmooperstar educator who should be featured on Shmoop? Have them apply. Or, you know, nominate yourself.