Book Review Festival / Book Reviews / MiddleWeb
by John Norton · Published 10/04/2012 · Last modified 07/19/2023
Our Fall Book Review Festival features 15 brand-new reviews of professional books – each one written by and for middle grades educators – on teaching strategies, visual & media literacy, test preparation, the Common Core, academic icebreakers, RTI & special education, social studies, mathematics, teacher research, ESL students, and student motivation.
Reviewer and math teacher Michelle Schwartze says the eight essential elements for school-wide math success identified by Chris Confer and Marco Ramirez in Small Steps, Big Changes: Eight Essential Practices for Transforming Schools Through Mathematics ring true.
Bill Bigelow’s teacher-friendly book, The Line Between Us: Teaching About the Border and Mexican Immigration, offers concrete strategies & teaching resources to help students understand immigration and globalization issues, says reviewer Kelly Moser.
Book Reviews / English Language Learners
by MiddleWeb · Published 09/28/2012 · Last modified 12/02/2019
Minding the Achievement Gap One Classroom at a Time by Jane E. Pollock, Sharon M. Ford and Margaret M. Black is a great resource for implementing Classroom Instruction That Works strategies for ESL/ELL students, says ESL teacher Julie Dermody.
Many teacher librarians struggle to explain their continued relevance to a skeptical audience. But Daring Librarian Gwyneth Jones has no problem explaining hers.
The Together Teacher™: Plan Ahead, Get Organized, and Save Time! by Maia Heyck-Merlin helps readers recognize that being organized “is a means to an end –strong student outcomes and more free time,” says reviewer Beth Fabijanic.
The secret to behavior is to have students fully engaged in the learning process, says teacher coach Anthony Cody. It’s much more than rules and referrals.
Keeping up with YA books just got easier, thanks to YALSA’s free app, Teen Book Finder. Lots, too, on what’s ahead, audiobooks & book trailers, kids’ favorites.
History & social studies / Resources
by Susan Curtis · Published 06/07/2012 · Last modified 11/16/2019
America’s national parks are full of history and learning opportunities for visiting educators and students, in person or online.
Reviewer Renee Moore agrees with Ron Wolk’s assertion that America’s public education problem is not about “performance” but poor system design in Wasting Minds: Why Our Education System Is Failing and What We Can Do About It.
