In his new book English teacher Brett Vogelsinger recommends frequent poetry pauses through the year because building students’ interest in poems can promote growth in all forms of literacy. Reviewer Erin Corrigan-Smith likes the book’s ease of use and multitude of resources.
The best tool in your classroom is YOU, the teacher. You’re the listener, questioner, connector. With summer at hand, math teacher Mona Iehl shares ways to prep yourself for next year. Relax, yes. Then reflect on what you’ve learned and envision a few manageable new approaches.
Teachers want to create a space for their students to speak with authenticity and agency, writes author and English teacher Marilyn Pryle. She and 7th grade teacher Sharon Ratliff share ways to use Pryle’s Reading Responses strategy to deepen student thinking about literature.
What makes our lessons memorable? Looking into semantic, episodic, emotional, procedural and automatic memory, teaching consultant Marilee Sprenger shares ways to engage students’ long-term storage systems so that memories take hold. Start with visuals and play based learning!
When our students are struggling with anxiety, they need support in developing strategies to help break down their problems. Chunking a problem and examining possible options can help make it feel more manageable. School psychologist Katelyn Oellerich shares some examples.
If you are an educator trying to explore what AI can do without becoming overwhelmed, edtech expert Shawn McCusker recommends you start small. Jot down some questions or topics to explore. These might include academic integrity, lesson design, or how AI can save precious time.
Williamson and Blackburn highlight four good reasons to be optimistic about the future of America’s public schools. Community approval is the highest in nearly 50 years; teachers are better prepared for the future, and the resilience of public educators remains remarkable.
Editors Davis and Douglas have organized a valuable research-based collection of articles by field-based practitioners of gifted education, writes teacher Erin Corrigan-Smith. A major focus: instructional methods that address the under-representation of minority and twice-exceptional students.
With finals fast approaching, Stephanie Farley created a summative assessment experience to encourage every student to demonstrate their mastery of the learning targets as well as be acknowledged and appreciated for their contributions. The exam period “dinner party” was a hit.
With its checklists, scenarios, and tools, The PD Book by Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen is a valuable resource and guide for anyone tapped to become a professional learning provider – either internally or externally, writes adult learning consultant Cathy Gassenheimer.
