Articles / Back to School / New Teacher Advice
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/02/2016 · Last modified 08/04/2024
When you walk into your own classroom for the first time, options (and stressors) abound. Keying in on essentials and asking for help can help new teachers build a vibrant learning space. Veteran teacher trainer Laura Robb shares newbie tips to use or adapt.
Sarah Cooper’s spring U.S. history classes provided a dress rehearsal for the upcoming fall election season. Here are six classroom-tested strategies she plans to use during Constitution studies as her middle schoolers experience America’s often volatile political process first-hand.
Management in the Active Classroom is a unique behavior-oriented resource. Few other books offer specific strategies that help the teacher provide structure while still honoring the dignity of every student. Jodi and Matt Renwick recommend it for every school.
The NCSS revised Position Statement on Media Literacy supports engaging students in inquiry and analysis as well as developing their understanding of media and propaganda. Frank W. Baker shows how students can evaluate the flood of fake news and the Fall election.
“Culture is the key to transformation,” says Ron Ritchhart, and anyone interested in seeing lasting change in schools needs to read this book, says reviewer Mary Langer Thompson. They will find the elements of needed systemic change.
Daniels and Steineke walk teachers and students through creating a supportive community for academic discussions and learning, from the very basics of working in small groups to the complex tasks of group projects. Kevin Hodgson plans to implement their strategies.
Eric Jensen provides research plus easy-to-implement strategies around 4 key mindsets for learning – relational, achievement, classroom climate, and engagement – that can help poor students succeed. Consultant Anne Anderson calls it “must” summer reading.
Many teachers are not well equipped to teach “argument” and prepare students for assessments that require them to build an effective claim. Author and consultant Erik Palmer deconstructs current efforts to teach persuasive writing and offers better solutions.
Literacy consultant Regie Routman’s determination to interact meaningfully with her teen granddaughter led her to take up tennis again. Her 10 takeaways apply to life on the court and in the classroom, including the value of joy and the necessity for follow-through.
Susan Udelhofen’s discussion of mapping is very useful for identifying the process of curriculum building, with each step outlined in sufficient detail to provide clear and explicit direction. Kathy Foster recommends it to any district developing its curriculum.
