In Changing Curriculum through Stories: Character Education for Ages 10-12 Marc Levitt shows how personal stories, folktales and fairytales can act as catalysts for reflection and deeper comprehension. Dr. Kevin D. Cordi finds his notes to teachers and students quite helpful.
A Learning Culture / Making Questions Count
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/30/2023 · Last modified 07/17/2024
What teachers do the first weeks of school has a dramatic effect on student engagement and achievement the rest of the year. Building a classroom culture of learning and questioning – co-created with students – paves the road to success. Jackie Walsh and colleagues show us how.
To help long-term English learners meet reading comprehension challenges, language specialist Tan Huynh shares strategies to use before reading, during reading, and after reading so that multilinguals have the scaffolding they need to read grade-level texts with understanding.
Thomas Newkirk urges ELA educators to move beyond simply assigning formulaic writing grounded in rubrics and include more fiction writing. Using research as well as student and teacher voices, he shows the benefits of encouraging creativity. A call to action, says Katie Durkin.
How is teaching like marketing? In student-centered classrooms, relatable lessons motivate students because they connect and have emotional appeal, writes teacher and former marketer Kelly Owens. In turn, engagement leads to purposeful work, supporting more on-task behaviors.
Articles / Back to School / Mentoring
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/20/2023 · Last modified 07/17/2024
How can seasoned educators improve teacher retention rates? By helping new colleagues address two retention factors – student behavior and classroom climate – says middle grades veteran Sharon Ratliff. “Let’s show them how to manage their school of fish without being a shark.”
“I want to recognize that my students are, in fact, highly literate human beings whose understanding of literacy has been shaped by an age of screens and digital interactions,” writes ELA teacher Jason DeHart. The question becomes, how do we change to meet them where they are?
Articles / Back to School / Technology
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/14/2023 · Last modified 08/15/2023
Kathie Palmieri shows how the ChatGPT tool can help launch the new school year with content activities, introductory letters, and more. She also includes tips for using generative AI software to batch-plan lessons for a quarter, trimester, or even designing a year-long plan.
A New School Year / New Teacher Tips
by Curtis Chandler · Published 08/13/2023 · Last modified 07/17/2024
As schools open their doors for a new year, preservice educator Curtis Chandler urges novice teachers to prioritize the two crucial elements most likely to fuel student success in the months to come: teacher relationships with students and clarity about classroom expectations.
Adolescent Development / Book Reviews
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/10/2023 · Last modified 06/23/2024
Phyllis Fagell’s Middle School Superpowers offers parents and educators productive ways to help tweens deal with change, social missteps, missed opportunities and disappointment as they encounter adolescent challenges. A must read, says consultant Anne Anderson.
