Book Reviews / Teaching for the Future
by MiddleWeb · Published 09/03/2015 · Last modified 11/14/2019
“Future Wise: Educating Our Children for a Changing World” by David Perkins zeroes in on curriculum, pursuing “lifeworthy” learning pursuits, fresh approaches to content and less preoccupation with technology. Principal Matt Renwick likes Perkins’ flexible outlook on the “what” of teaching.
Students experience deep, joyful learning in classrooms where there is an ongoing cycle of responsive teaching, says literacy expert Regie Routman. The ultimate goal is to grow passionate learners who self-monitor, self-direct, and set their own worthwhile goals.
Book Reviews / Vocabulary Instruction
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/27/2015 · Last modified 02/03/2024
A multitude of authentic classroom examples and strategies make “Vocabularians” a must-have book, says ELA teacher and word nerd Amber Chandler. Author Brenda Overturf also provides realistic ways to bring schoolwide vocabulary immersion to the middle grades.
Of all the ways educators can improve learning in their classrooms, “the Number 1 way is to strengthen students’ speaking and listening skills and habits,” writes teaching coach and literacy expert Sarah Tantillo. Oral fluency deepens understanding dramatically.
Reading Wellness makes teacher Linda Biondi want to “take a risk in teaching literacy, get out of my comfort zone, collaborate with my colleagues, and bring the joy of reading to all my students – and colleagues.” She expects others will feel the same.
In his ELA classroom, David Sebek focuses on four aspects of what it means to be a “good citizen” – truthfulness, justice, equality and responsibility – and uses whistleblower stories and dystopian fiction to explore the elusive definition of citizenship.
Much of the ISTE discussion this year focused on the best ways to use technology effectively, says MS teacher and tech enthusiast Patti Grayson. To celebrate, Grayson offers 5 examples from her own classroom of the best times to bring out the digital tools.
Each of these 20 English Language Arts-oriented articles (dating back to 2012) has enjoyed thousands of reads since it was first published at MiddleWeb. From closer reading to better writing, we hope you find some helpful ideas and inspiration for the new school year!
Written from the experiences of two veteran teachers, Empowering Families is the most useful guide in promoting student literacy at home that 4th grade teacher Alex T. Valencic has ever come across. He plans to share its many suggestions with teachers and parents this fall.
Teacher-consultant Terry Thompson, author of The Construction Zone, defines four elements of good instructional scaffolding and uses the example of teaching a kid to ride a bicycle to demonstrate why a clear focus on learning targets is a critical first step.
