Literacy expert Laura Robb offers her research-based argument for refocusing American school reform on strategies to strengthen support for teachers and promote opportunities for all children to become creative, divergent thinkers and problem solvers.
With quick concise sections, summary bullet points, engaging verse, reflective questions, bonus lists, and easy to use tabbing, Seven Simple Secrets: What the BEST Teachers Know and Do is a book educators need at their fingertips, says reviewer Laura Von Staden.
When youth in the middle know their “sparks” – their inner energizing interests – they’re more likely to stay engaged in school and develop a sense of purpose. Expert Susan Ragsdale shares motivational research & activities to help uncover those sparks.
The ‘T’ in STEM manifests in many ways, says science educator Anne Jolly. One new trend, coming rapidly to the fore, is writing program code. In this post Anne shares some coding ideas she and teacher Emily Vickery have brainstormed for STEM classes.
Students benefit from reading independently if specific conditions are in place. In No More Independent Reading Without Support Debbie Miller and Barbara Moss share research-based strategies to enhance classroom practice and student learning.
The Nonfiction NOW Lesson Bank (Grades 4-8): Strategies and Routines for Higher-Level Comprehension in the Content Areas by Nancy Akhavan delivers everything the title promises and more, raves reviewer Linda Biondi. Plus 50 lessons and 5 close reading ideas, ready to use.
Book Reviews / English Language Learners
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/06/2014 · Last modified 11/27/2019
The authors of Interactive Notebooks & English Language Learners offer convincing evidence that interactive notebooks can provide ELLs with the academic scaffolding needed to actively participate in classroom activities, says reviewer Elisa Waingort.
In this helpful how-to article Judith Wencel, founder of SUCCESS in the Middle, distills 20 years of experience effectively recruiting and preparing community tutors and mentors – dispelling the myth that “nobody will volunteer in middle schools.”
Teaching children how to meaningfully participate in math conversations can be daunting, say educators Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz. The authors of Intentional Talk share four principles to help teachers lead deeper, more productive discussions.
Education consultant Mike Fisher invites readers to be active participants in a Curriculum Brainstorm, using popular music and a song’s associated music video as a way to engage close reading of text, comparative analysis & use of digital tools.
