The authors of Mastering Digital Literacy provide links to countless tools and resources to support teachers’ goals of immersing their students in the digital world. But educator Sarah Grieb believes the book is not a good fit for the realities of tween classes.
Field trips don’t have to be elaborate, says school leader Mike Janatovich, but they are important for young adolescents who are still making connections between academic content and the real world. He shares ideas and tips to plan an outing this fall.
Climate Change: Discover How it Impacts Spaceship Earth with 25 Projects is on a level that most tweens can grasp, yet it is not oversimplified and builds vocabulary. With its cool facts and high order questions, this book gets MS teacher Laura Von Staden’s recommendation.
Kids on the Cusp / Teacher Development
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 10/07/2015 · Last modified 11/28/2019
How do we really build better teachers? Are current school system practices helping? Reading a long-neglected article from the NYT Magazine prompts a fresh reflection on the best ways to improve teaching practice from veteran tween teacher Mary Tarashuk.
Barbara Blackburn provides easily executable concrete examples, stories and strategies for teachers to help students become more motivated, connected and successful in school. Special education teacher Laura Von Staden’s favorite story: the Blue Ribbon Ceremony.
As a school leader, consultant Frank Buck’s experience was that “if I wanted to launch something new, re-tool something old, or do some course correction, October was my best shot.” Here, Buck suggests several organizational ideas to pursue during the October Oasis.
Vocabulary knowledge is the heart of reading comprehension and academic achievement, says literacy consultant Brenda Overturf, “and it means way more than just learning words.” Students must have the tools to decipher unknown academic words. She shares three of the best.
Most educators who teach propaganda use examples from the World Wars, says media literacy expert Frank Baker. “But propaganda is happening today—all around us.” Baker introduces a new resource that can help teachers and students exert their “minds over media.”
Steven W. Anderson’s brief book is filled with resources and links to help teachers and students find, evaluate, save and share valuable materials amid all the options. He details the use of Evernote, Diigo, and Pocket, says reviewer Laura Von Staden.
Emphasizing that the most productive form of formative assessment is self-assessment by students and teachers, the authors apply these research-based ideas to the cultural change required to improve instruction at a school level, says administrator Brian Taylor.
