Douglas Reeves advocates 7 interdependent elements of leadership – purpose, trust, focus, leverage, feedback, change, and sustainability – to change schools for the better. Coach Rita Platt will revisit the elements throughout the year to spark more reflection.
Nancy Dean’s “Finding Voice” will help teachers in grades 4-6 supplement their studies of complex text using brief, compelling mentor texts as they study word choice, detail, imagery, figurative language and tone. Reviewer Linda Biondi likens it to “a GPS system.”
Russell Quaglia advocates for “principal voice” using a creative Three L’s framework, surfacing our awareness of things that we know are good leadership practices. Former principal Rick Jetter finds Quaglia’s tips and take-aways thoughtful and easy to implement.
The Flexible Classroom / Vocabulary / Vocabulary
by Amber Chandler · Published 11/06/2016 · Last modified 11/28/2019
Instead of just saying “study your vocabulary,” Amber Chandler is trying out Quizlet Live, an online team-based game that has students begging for more. She says the easy tech tool promotes collaborative competition, meets SEL needs, and requires little extra work.
Owning Up, a 6-9 SEL curriculum developed by Rosalind Wiseman in partnership with AMLE, can give young people the capacity to understand their individual development in relation to their peers and the skills to be competent in the social conflicts they experience.
Middle school is SO spontaneous. How can teachers ensure opportunities to help students think critically, collaborate, and engage in the scholarly discourse we put in the lesson plan? Libby Woodfin shares 3 “ABCs of deeper instruction” that can help. Videos too!
Design Thinking / Future of History
by Jody & Shara · Published 08/21/2016 · Last modified 11/26/2019
Can history teachers apply Design Thinking ideas to a subject often taught as a progression of facts? Jody Passanisi thinks so. “What could be more relevant than looking for solutions to challenges that were created in the past and are still having impact today?”
Kids on the Cusp / Self Assessment
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 07/17/2016 · Last modified 11/19/2019
Fourth graders draw surprising conclusions when they get the chance to look back at a whole school year. Mary Tarashuk reviews the year with them and makes plans to tweak the experience next year, creating a new graphic organizer she’ll use with her next class.
Digital Portfolios / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 07/06/2016 · Last modified 11/15/2019
Kevin Hodgson and his 6th graders learned how to build digital portfolios together in recent months, creating a reflective space to re-examine and “curate” a year’s worth of digital projects. He shares tools created to guide the process and the lessons learned.
Math teachers looking for ways to promote deeper student “math talk” might consider team card sorting, says Michelle Russell, author of MiddleWeb’s new “Meaningful Math” blog. Among her tips: resist jumping in to help – and always have a culminating activity.
