The 2021-22 school year came with all the expected sound and fury, and for many of us, weariness and low spirits. Now summer’s here and MiddleWeb has pulled together a diverse set of deep-dive PD articles you might have missed. They’re insightful, informative and actionable!
Gene Bottoms, a national CTE leader and secondary school reform advocate, discusses the inequities in opportunity found in current college and career practices and details steps to transform high schools into places that serve ALL students well, writes principal Frank Hagen.
While comics may not be an immediate go-to for all educators, they are a rich source of adolescent reader engagement. Teachers who are willing to linger with text and images to build conversations will discover their potential for literacy instruction, says Dr. Jason DeHart.
After another school year weighed down by a wide range of challenges, education consultants Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn offer school-based leaders a path to restore momentum in their school and revitalize their community’s commitment to a collaborative vision.
In The Power of Regret, creativity and motivation author Dan Pink finds that regrets can make us stronger and more effective in our work. Professional learning consultant Cathy Gassenheimer encourages educators to consider how Pink’s four types of regrets relate to our lives.
Chris Hall wasn’t satisfied with the way he taught revision in MS writing workshop. After much reflection he’s concluded that the best revision takes place in the mind of the writer during the writing process – not after it’s done. Six mindset ‘stances’ help students learn this skill.
Teacher educator Curtis Chandler guides us through Global Pandemics, a “fantastic” free Chrome app that transports teachers and students back in time to the lives, choices, and dilemmas faced by individuals during some of the most severe plagues and pandemics in history.
Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn have advice that can help school leaders stay attuned to today’s constantly changing school environment, recognize the stress of external factors, and use strategies that encourage teachers’ intrinsic motivation and sense of self-efficacy.
You’ve spent the school year teaching students skills and strategies and covering the curriculum, giving your best to all your classes. Now as the year winds down, the time has come to let the students take over. See how Kathie Palmieri’s middle grades kids share learning.
Writing a decade ago, Jody Passanisi and Shara Peters wondered if online learning could replace physical school. Now as they evaluate the costs to students of pandemic driven education, the teachers turned school leaders have their answer: Content in a human vacuum can’t sustain itself.
