Teaching allegory / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 03/25/2014 · Last modified 11/23/2019
A convergence of events – from the Cold War-tinged Ukraine crisis to World Read Aloud Day and the birthday of Dr. Seuss – helped inspire 6th grade ELA teacher Kevin Hodgson’s recent lessons on allegory and the difference between nonfiction and truth.
It’s Not Complicated: What I Know for Sure About Helping Our Students of Color Become Successful Readers will motivate teachers to redouble literacy efforts, says Maribeth Wicoff, but she wishes the author had included more about effective strategies.
Former principal Sue Stephenson describes how she and a team of teachers recently helped seventh graders prepare and perform standup comedy routines, all the while learning serious writing, speaking and personal living skills. Video link included!
Jeff Wilhelm & Michael W. Smith’s findings in “Reading Unbound: Why Kids Need to Read What They Want and Why We Should Let Them” should convince educators to reconsider traditional assigned reading lists and open classroom doors to genre fiction, says reviewer Anne Anderson.
Embracing Technology / Kids on the Cusp
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 02/19/2014 · Last modified 02/20/2014
“It’s hard to come to terms with the digital dinosaur in myself,” writes 5th grade teacher Mary Tarashuk, who’s been asked to help create online courses. “Technology benchmarks are a bit vague for this novice traveler on the Information Superhighway.”
Introducing the concept of product placement, using pop culture images and sporting events, is a great way to jump-start students’ critical viewing and grow their media literacy skills, says expert Frank Baker. Key questions for analysis included.
Many teachers are frustrated by Common Core directions to ignore prior knowledge when teaching students to analyze texts, says literacy coach Laura Robb. She recommends a proactive approach: show students how to do it for themselves. Tips included!
Reviewer Fran Loose, PhD, finds Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom is a valuable resource for beginning and veteran teachers, in general and special ed, in K-12 and university settings. It’s a book best read once then revisited periodically.
Former middle grades teacher Daniel Fountenberry says his experiences struggling to organize group reading sessions among students with varied reading skills led him to develop adaptive technology that tailors the “same” book to different readers.
Reviewer and middle grades teacher Judi Holst strongly recommends Troy Hicks’ Crafting Digital Writing to any teacher who uses writing in their classroom and is ready to more deeply engage today’s digital-savvy students. It’s easy to read and full of ideas, she says.
