When you ask students to research a topic, what happens? Chances are some students will struggle. The authors explain how they use Inquiry Charts to help middle grades students navigate the pitfalls of research and also develop agency as researchers and knowledge builders.
Free Reading Friday has transformed Laurie Miller Hornik’s 7th grade class into a reading community, without having to cut back on whole-class text studies. Students arrive on Fridays ready to talk and write about the free reading they’ve done outside of school during the week.
Ruth Miller finds Lessons That Last an indispensable guide to enriching teaching practice and fostering a impactful learning environment. The book’s lessons, drawn from interviews with former students, affirm the significance of teachers’ work and the lasting influence we have.
Michelle Russell knows the back-to-school rush. So this year she’s found first weeks activities that are low on preparation and high on introducing math, sharing fun, setting the tone for the year, and helping students feel comfortable. Best of all: she shares her favorite finds!
So much to do! As teachers in grades 4-6 enter their first classrooms, Kathleen Palmieri offers keys to getting started. She includes accessing mentors, keeping track of planning, Google tools, engaging students, finding sources for class libraries and décor, and self-care.
2024 is another fantastic year for new middle grades books with many more titles to come in the next few months. ELA teacher Kasey Short introduces titles for school and class libraries that are sure to appeal to your students. Fantasy, immigration, science, WW II, and more!
In Julie Hasson’s annual back to school dream, she’s trying to organize thousands of rubber ducks in a rushing river. Fortunately she has strategies for dealing with that sense of being overwhelmed. They begin with a well-sorted to-do list and a focus on realistic optimism.
To move toward equitable mathematics education, Dr. Lidia Gonzalez shows how math teachers can help students see beyond harmful beliefs by answering 3 questions: “What is mathematics?”, “What does it mean to be good at math?” and “How do we see our math development over time?”
You need your break! Don’t fill your summer ruminating endlessly about lessons and classes to come. Instead try the “habit stacking” strategy and prepare for the next school year without getting mired in the weeds. Teacher and coach Miriam Plotinsky shares nine possibilities.
If we can teach kids to think about their futures with more specificity and positivity, then we can have a significant impact on not only their self-image but their well-being – critical work in our anxiety-ridden, social media-saturated times, writes teacher leader Stephanie Farley.
