That's the pain in the neck of every teacher: Most students dislike writing assignments. More than that, they try to avoid such tasks by all manner of means. You assign essays to help students organize thoughts and develop critical thinking, but their skepticism and frustration make it harder to teach writing to them. Good news is, you can help students fall in love with writing. Consider the below tricks to motivate and encourage them to learn and improve writing skills.

Women’s History Month has given us a good opportunity to recognize the many strides women have made towards workplace equality, particularly when it comes to STEM representation. Historical names like Sally Ride and Marie Curie stand alongside current tech powerhouses such as Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook) and Diane Greene (VMWare, Google). However, even though the overall workforce gap has closed significantly (46.8% of the workforce is female as of 2015), a significant wage gap still exists— a gap that widens as women age.

Every educator is familiar with the concept of literacy—the ability to read and write. A person who is illiterate, who cannot read or write, will inevitably struggle to get along in society. It’s impossible to go on to higher education or get a high-paying job without the ability to read and write. Even daily tasks, like reading a newspaper or filling out job applications, are difficult for an illiterate person.

In today’s world, literacy goes beyond just the basic ability to comprehend text. Today’s students will also need to master a new skill—digital literacy. Cornell University defines digital literacy as “the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet.”

I’m what you would call a “nontraditional student.” I’ve got two kids, I’m gainfully employed, and I’m 33. Getting my degree in education and a license to teach wasn’t my first choice of career. It was a dream that arose after countless hours of helping my sons with their homework and volunteering in their classrooms. This dream was left unrealized for years until the right opportunity presented itself, and I jumped on it. In this way, I’m not unique.

Technology is integral to the modern learning experience. Indeed, with tablets replacing textbooks and students being so partial to their smartphones, it seems that digital tools are no longer optional for a modern teacher.

When I was a kid, I’d always get told off for being glued to the TV. Nowadays, all we hear is how little TV kids are watching! Instead, the youth of today are firmly seated, smartphone in hand, watching the current hottest YouTube influencer. It’s not surprising that they consume media in this fashion. YouTube provides infinitely more possibilities than television ever could. Social interaction, supreme choice over what to watch, portability and an easy way to speak with the real person behind the screen.