Author: MiddleWeb

Easy-to-Use Strategies to Develop Young Writers

In “The Writing Strategies Book” Jennifer Serravallo has pulled together 300 useful writing strategies and lessons, coordinated by grade, genre, and point in the writing process. Serravallo’s well-organized and easy-to-use resource is sure to come in handy right away, says reviewer Kevin Hodgson.

Helping Students Pursue Dreams of Success

Helping students believe in themselves is a critical part of teaching. Consultant Barbara Blackburn shares strategies to help encourage students to reach beyond the limitations they sometimes feel and pursue their dreams. One idea: Write a personal “theme song.”

Writer’s Workshop with Latino Mentor Texts

“Equal parts how-to and shopping list,” teacher Amy Estersohn says Ruth Culham’s Dream Wakers will help any middle grades ELA or social studies teacher add more Latino voices and mentor texts – especially in classrooms with a writer’s workshop teaching approach.

How to Reach & Teach Students with Autism

Barbara Boroson offers a useful, comprehensive, summative guide providing positive and proactive strategies to educators who are not familiar with or may not be comfortable yet working with students on the autism spectrum, says SpEd veteran Carrielynnn O”Reilly.

A Powerful Tool to Support Math Intervention

Weber, Crane and Hierck provide many charts, examples and resources that can be instantly adopted, adapted, or enhanced for a school or district RTI process in middle school math. Instructional coach and interventionist Kim Schneider offers her highest praise.

Use Multimedia Writing to Change the Game

When students blend multimedia elements into their writing projects, interest and engagement can zoom up, writes teacher-author Sean Ruday. Ruday highlights a five-step process he uses in PD workshops to help teachers make the tech meaningful and not maddening.

A 5-Tray Filing System Every Teacher Needs

Now that the blizzard of late semester papers has (probably) diminished, do you feel the need for a quick fix to your class organization regimen? Author/educator Roxanna Elden avoids excessive precision in structuring a practical 5-tray process to get you started.

BRAVO Principals Lead Through Relationships

BRAVO Principal, with its reflection questions and support exercises, is an effective resource for keeping school leaders centered on what matters most to promote the success of each of our students in our learning organizations, writes MS principal Dennis Schug.

MiddleWeb’s Top 16 of 2016

During 2016, each of these featured MiddleWeb posts enjoyed at least 10,000 reads by middle grades educators. Some were visited by as many as 60,000. We’re sure you’ll find something useful here as you “learn forward” and prepare yourself for the new year.