“Ultimately book talk videos recorded by peers are beneficial if we want to inspire middle grades reluctant readers. They need to witness peers having fun with books. It nurtures the idea that reading is worth a try.” School librarian Kristen Day shares how her “EGGs” are doing it.
Social studies teacher Megan Kelly and her students start each class with Canva-created Questions of the Day and continue Canva-assisted learning with topic explorations, visual formative assessments, student-made reports, infographics and more. All with the free version!
Incorporating the odd and unusual into everyday instruction can capture students’ attention. And middle graders do enjoy knowing something bizarre! Anne Anderson shares calendar celebrations (Artichoke Day?) from March, April and May to surprise them. Teaching ideas included.
If you want to expand your students’ modes of writing (whether or not you use writer’s workshop) Angela Stockman’s book offers great information and insight, says Megan Balduf, including the details of multimodal composition and appendices filled with powerful instruction.
What do your students believe about learning? Beliefs affect behaviors, and their perspective on failure is decisive. Teaching coach Barbara Blackburn examines 3 beliefs that impact the ability to learn and offers strategies to help students focus on growth.
The 2nd edition of Jenny Rankin’s First Aid for Teacher Burnout offers “realistic strategies teachers can apply to alleviate the major burnout-inducing problems and find sustainable success at work.” Reviewer Anne Anderson shares Rankin’s ways to recognize burnout and respond.
We’ve accomplished so much this year and we still have another big stretch to conquer, write teachers Maggie and Piers Blyth. We’ve reached the peak – we’re ready for the downhill race. It’s important to chart our path and stay alert for the obstacles and opportunities ahead.
The Unstoppable ML Teacher / Translanguaging
by Tan Huynh · Published 01/25/2023 · Last modified 02/27/2023
As language specialist Tan Huynh learns Khmer, his 6th language, he looks into language acquisition as a skill, not a superpower. He suggests teachers support students’ multilingualism by maximizing translanguaging, learning in context, and integrating all language domains.
After trying without success to teach students how to decode word problems, Michelle Russell turned to research. A math journal article pointed to an ELA strategy: visualizing, retelling, making connections, and asking questions. Learn about her promising first experiment.
Like much of the current K-12 universe, Sarah Cooper is both excited and concerned about the impact of ChatGPT’s disruptive technology. Recently she checked in with her 8th graders for insights into how they might use it and how they think AI may impact their lives in the future.
