We want students to achieve in class and on tests, but we also want them to know how to use reading skills to enjoy reading. Reading aloud provides students with opportunities to experience success through thinking alongside their teachers and peers, writes Jennifer Sniadecki.
Adolescent Development / Book Reviews
by MiddleWeb · Published 05/22/2025 · Last modified 05/23/2025
What do middle graders need from adults, especially their parents? Looking into brain science and social, academic, tech and ethical issues, educator and parent Jody Passanisi asks parents to think back to their own childhoods and then consider how to best support their kids.
Working with kids in the middle grades has never been harder. We can’t do it alone. Building trust between parents and teachers is crucial, writes middle level leader Jody Passanisi. “When there’s trust, we can work together to support kids through challenges and successes.”
Anderson and Glover have authored a helpful, easy-to-follow book, writes veteran teacher Elisa Waingort-Jiménez. Their eight strategies center on specific craft and genre moves that will help teachers become better writers as they help students develop their own skills.
When U.S. history teacher Lauren Brown realized how little her 7th graders knew about the 50 states, she resorted to memorization. “Knowing more about our country’s geography will help students as they go on to learn its history and politics.” Elementary teachers need to help.
Articles / History and Social Studies
by Susan Curtis · Published 01/25/2025 · Last modified 02/15/2025
African Americans faced severe repression when Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week in 1926. In this updated MiddleWeb resource, we share links that trace the impact of African Americans in politics, arts and sciences, and report on the call to teach Black history throughout the school year.
Elisa Waingort-Jiménez strongly recommends The Collaborative Math Classroom with its many tools as a must-read for all teachers, coaches, interventionists and others interested in creating and supporting spaces for authentic math learning experiences for all ages and grade levels.
The most important step in learning to solve math word problems is reflection, writes math coach Mona Iehl, “yet it’s often overlooked or sacrificed for the sake of time.” Iehl shares her workshop approach to problem solving and how she builds quick reflections into her lessons.
Exploring human experiences through personal stories promotes discussions that focus on facts and individual realities rather than generalizations and stereotypes and helps students develop empathy, compassion and understanding, writes Kasey Short. Reading suggestions included!
Future of History / Understanding Religions
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/06/2024 · Last modified 01/25/2025
Social studies teacher Lauren Brown makes the case that learning about the history and culture of Judaism, Christianity & Islam is critical for today’s middle school students and offers a useful guide that she believes can help with curriculum development and lesson planning.
