Kids on the Cusp / Teacher Evaluation
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 01/06/2014 · Last modified 12/10/2019
Middle grades teacher Mary Tarashuk has reached the final rubric in her state’s mandated teacher self-assessment: Professional Responsibilities. She says the words used to define “highly effective” performance seem out of synch with real teaching.
Reviewer Linda Biondi likes everything about the new edition of Jeff Wilhelm’s popular book on improving comprehension by “thinking aloud.” Lots of examples from the classroom, a DVD with teachers using the strategies in class, and it’s CCSS-aligned.
Mary Tarashuck recalls the holiday Venn diagrams she and her 4th graders organized for the first grade kids and imagines some circles of her own – celebrating her colleagues and her past accomplishments and setting some goals for the future.
Strong Partnerships / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 12/15/2013 · Last modified 11/26/2019
Although professional development, administrative support & common planning time are all very important and necessary, writes Elizabeth Stein, what matters most in achieving effective inclusion is how the two teachers in the room are approaching the experience.
Reviewer Linda Biondi says Aimee Buckner’s new Nonfiction Notebooks “has been my friend, companion, teacher, and guide as I begin to navigate a new curriculum,” taking the angst out of teaching informational writing and replacing it with confidence.
In her new book Teaching in High Gear, middle school teacher Marsha Ratzel describes a transformational journey, marked by a gradual shift toward student-driven learning and energized by a global network of collaborators. In this excerpt, Marsha describes how her development of a “coaching mode” helped students become more self-reliant learners.
Whether it’s Grandma’s biscotti recipe or a lesson plan, adding new ingredients (like digital tools) shouldn’t distract from the end result you seek, says teacher and technology consultant Mike Fisher. “The modern mindset is really about willingness, not digital knowledge. It’s about trying new things and exploring new tools and avenues for instruction WITH the students rather than FOR the students.”
For the 2013 EduBlog Awards we’re defining “best” as among the “especially interesting & attention-worthy.”
Book Reviews / Tablets in the Classroom
by MiddleWeb · Published 11/15/2013 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Teaching with Tablets, says reviewer Joy Kirr, is a brief, useful guide from Frey, Fisher & Gonzalez describing how to leverage the increasing availability of tablets and iPads by tying their use to best instructional practices.
Media literacy consultant Frank W. Baker considers some of the ways that media arts intersect with STEM and present STEAM learning opportunities.
