Debbie Zacarian and Michael Silverstone successfully build the case for school and community partnerships in diverse settings that are two-way relationships with the goal of increased student achievement, both academic and social, says principal Deb Hubble.
The difficulty students have in writing clearly can be traced to many factors, says literacy consultant Sarah Tantillo, from muddled pre-CCSS standards to weak teaching practices. Here she offers concrete suggestions to correct persistent writing problems in the secondary grades.
Our students are not successful oral communicators, says author-consultant Erik Palmer. Yet the rise of connected learning, podcasts, Face Time and Skype make speaking and listening skills essential. Read (and watch) Palmer’s compelling case for change.
Mindset / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 10/28/2015 · Last modified 12/14/2019
As teachers go about shifting their co-teaching language to promote collaboration and a professional growth mindset, there are some communication situations that just scream “watch your thoughts,” says co-teaching coach Elizabeth Stein. She identifies five.
A steady flow of new district teaching resources is creating a more-than-you-can-eat buffet effect for 4th grade teacher Mary Tarashuk. Take the new online math program. Can she manage to put together the right selection of new dishes and old favorites?
Future of History / History & Current Events
by Sarah Cooper · Published 10/18/2015 · Last modified 11/22/2019
FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech in 1941 versus Donald Trump’s debate performances this year: meaningful connection or unfair comparison? Sarah Cooper describes her recent lesson and presents her new ground rules for history and current event mashups.
Bringing Math Students into the Formative Assessment Equation is in a league of its own by focusing solely on the middle level math educator who wants to write effective learning targets. Educator Maia Fastabend already plans to employ some of the book’s tools.
Co-Teaching Teams / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 10/14/2015 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Too often co-teaching teams simply take turns as they focus on general student needs, rather than blending their strengths to serve all the learners in the room. Co-teaching coach Elizabeth Stein shares some ideas and resources to build strong partnerships.
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.
Knowing how television programming is funded can help students understand what is available to view. Media literacy expert Frank W. Baker links to sources of advertising data and suggests activities to build student savvy about the genres that fill their screens.
