Frequent high-quality class conversations make a huge difference in how far middle grades students advance academically, socially and emotionally, writes author and teaching coach Jeff Zwiers. Learn about five skills that can help students build ideas through dialogue.
Every principal has dealt with unhappy or angry parents and guardians. Many family members simply have a concern and want to share it with someone they believe can resolve the problem. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn offer ways to calm waters and get to solutions.
Healthy Teaching / Heart of the School
by Rita Platt · Published 11/03/2019 · Last modified 12/15/2019
Nobody should have to get used to sitting all day, least of all students in the middle grades. These kids are bundles of energy; we’ve got to keep them moving! Principal and NBCT Rita Platt shares five flexible strategies to boost retention while spreading enthusiasm.
Throughout Putting Teachers First, Brad Johnson supports his strong belief that a positive relationship between leader and teacher is essential in successful schools. He shares a myriad of ways to make that relationship happen, writes international ed leader Brad Latzke.
Differentiating Instruction with Menus is great for encouraging middle level students’ voice and choice and allows teachers without a strong science background to feel more comfortable with the content (especially chemistry), writes science teacher-coach Emily Lane.
Teacher Marketplaces / Teaching with a View
by Brent Gilson · Published 10/30/2019 · Last modified 02/12/2021
Online teacher marketplaces may seem harmless, but when sellers offer materials that violate copyrights and ignore intellectual property rights of original creators, they set a poor example for kids and the profession, says teacher Brent Gilson, a “reformed” TPT vendor.
Class Apps / Student Questioning
by Curtis Chandler · Published 10/29/2019 · Last modified 11/15/2019
One of our teaching tasks with the highest rate of return on time invested is working with students to develop their capacity and confidence to ask good questions. Curtis Chandler offers the research-based tips and tools we need to make eager inquiry an everyday event.
Meaningful Math / Student Relationships
by Michelle Russell · Published 10/28/2019 · Last modified 11/25/2019
How do you get to know all your students in a crowded classroom? Teacher Michelle Russell put a new plan into action this fall in her largest class (28). Selecting names at random, she set out to have a quick chat with one student each day for a month. Discover how it went!
Assessing ELs / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 10/27/2019 · Last modified 03/07/2025
Teachers need to learn what our students know and understand, but assessment can be difficult if language is a barrier for English learners. EL specialist Valentina Gonzalez offers tips to recognize unconscious bias, support learning with formative assessment, and more.
Educators and parents alike will find How Many? A Counting Book a beautiful adventure in learning about how children can grapple with the complexities of mathematical reasoning in relatively simple terms using everyday objects, says history (?!) teacher Michael DiClemente.
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