It's Not Easy Being Tween / Social-Emotional Learning
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 11/06/2017 · Last modified 12/15/2019
Off to a great start, Cheryl Mizerny continues to promote a Year of Kindness among her 6th graders and her school. Here she looks ahead and describes plans for the rest of the year. You’ll find lots of resources to promote kindness among your own students and community.
In Gallup surveys, students report increasing levels of classroom boredom, topping out in high school. How do teachers counter the trend? Harris and Bradshaw offer strategies in their 2nd book on Battling Boredom. Rita Platt finds lots to use with her own students.
Restorative Justice / Two Teachers in the Room
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/31/2017 · Last modified 03/04/2024
Restorative justice practices put students in control of behaviors, writes Elizabeth Stein. Rather than being separated from peers in punitive ways, students gain a collaborative perspective and feel more accepted, supported, and capable of making positive decisions.
Ad Techniques / Close Reading the Media
by Frank Baker · Published 10/31/2017 · Last modified 12/01/2019
In today’s advertising-saturated world, their attention may be the most valuable thing students own. Marketers want it and they’ll grab it anyway they can. It’s the job of educators to make sure kids understand what’s going on, media literacy expert Frank W. Baker says.
Google Docs can make writing tasks more efficient, providing teachers and students with templates, commenting features, voice typing, and more. While 30 million U.S. students now use Docs, Curtis Chandler says many do not take full advantage of its “power-up” features.
When teachers choose literature that widens the lens on life, students discover how to reach beyond their experiences, reading between the lines, walking in others’ shoes, breaking down walls, and realizing they can act to affect the world, says teacher Bridget Suvansri.
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/26/2017 · Last modified 11/18/2019
Amber Chandler’s The Flexible SEL Classroom marries SEL with academics in a way that feels fresh, best-practice based, and perhaps most importantly, very practical, writes educator Rita Platt, adding that each chapter offers ready-to-use classroom strategies.
Future of History / Historical thinking
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 10/17/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
There’s no perfect teaching recipe that balances patriotism and civic responsibility, says middle school history teacher Lauren Brown. But if educators attempt to ignore the low points in America’s past, they’ll insult students’ intelligence and lose their trust.
With slanted news, social media and “reality” TV ceaselessly attracting the attention of young people, literacy consultant Frank W. Baker underscores the importance of Media Literacy Week, urging all educators to teach students how to analyze media “as text.”
Educators talk about giving students “voice, choice and agency,” says NBCT Rita Platt, but how does that actually happen in a practical, curriculum-friendly way? Platt believes the secret is teaching students to set goals. Learn about her 5-step process (tools included).
