Sean Ruday’s practical ideas and teaching strategies for narrative writing should reduce the stress levels of writing teachers all across the country, writes consultant Anne Anderson. To speed things along, he has included excerpts from the mentor texts he features.
Art of Movie Making / Close Reading the Media
by Frank Baker · Published 01/17/2017 · Last modified 12/14/2019
CCSS ELA middle grade standards specifically address the importance of teaching film techniques and the decisions made by filmmakers. In a new MiddleWeb blog, Close Reading the Media, Frank Baker breaks down the art of movie making and shares lots of resources.
“Perfect Pairs” uses fiction and nonfiction life science books to promote inquiry learning in grades 3-5. The 20 richly detailed, standards-aligned lessons can help any teacher engage students in exploration, fact-gathering and deduction, says 4th grade veteran Linda Biondi.
Assessment / The Flexible Classroom
by Amber Chandler · Published 01/08/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Amber Chandler is pondering testing. Not big league, high stakes exams but the run of the mill end-of-unit kind. When 20 percent of her students stumble over literary terms on The Giver unit test, she opts for a flexible (but controversial) “point buy-back” offer.
Social Justice / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 12/27/2016 · Last modified 11/13/2019
It’s time, writes teaching coach Elizabeth Stein, for co-teachers to take a strong, visible and audible stance on behalf of those students “who have been on your mind every day since school began.” Co-teachers need to become social justice leaders in the classroom.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Personalized Learning
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 12/18/2016 · Last modified 11/24/2019
In Cheryl Mizerny’s view, authentic “personalized education” would have skilled teachers navigating as students powered their own learning. It would be a practice and not the product being sold by digital LMS companies as an acceptable substitute for teacher talent.
Every Child a Super Reader can empower students to become lovers of reading who understand what they read. Teacher Linda Biondi says its lessons and resources will help students analyze a text, appreciate the craft, and become voracious consumers of the written word.
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 12/15/2016 · Last modified 11/25/2019
I, Me, You, We: Individuality Versus Conformity offers teachers intellectually challenging ELA and arts lessons for gifted middle schoolers. Educator Amy Cummings saw less emphasis on self understanding than expected but found almost unlimited ideas for her classroom.
Curtis Chandler can’t help but worry a bit about the ‘video-fication’ of our students. Is academic progress being hindered by excessive and ineffective video use? He identifies best practices and several tech tools that can help make sure videos augment learning.
Gifted and advanced fifth graders will find the four units in this book – fiction and nonfiction – packed with graphic organizers, tech, and student discourse. Each unit focuses on a text exemplar. Instructional coach Donna Wall says the units provide suitable rigor.
