Recently Sarah Tantillo worked with 8th grade teacher Bianca Licata to analyze students’ difficulty in effectively explaining how evidence supports arguments in their writing. After they identified causes and potential solutions, Licata tested their ideas in class.
The use of open-ended, visual tasks is a very non-traditional way of teaching and learning math. But its potential for expanding students’ mathematical creativity and understanding makes it well worth exploring! Math education consultant Jerry Burkhart shares examples.
Being mindful of what is driving the decisions we make as educators is valuable. A good place to start is by defining our own core values. New principal Rita Platt shares a method for distilling those values and tells how she applied hers to several school decisions.
Responding to the current dust-up on leveling books, literacy consultant Patty McGee explores a few common questions about cultivating a responsive class library and shares some great ways to immerse your students in a “bookstore” experience, as both customers and staff!
Could this be the year our students begin to discover their all-time favorite books? Jennifer Serravallo, literacy consultant and bestselling author of The Reading Strategies Book, shares 10 “back pocket” techniques that can help teachers match kids with great stories.
With the “let’s be nice” novelty of the first weeks of school fading, you’re tired and the kids are restless. It may be time to refresh your systems for maintaining positive behavior. Discover ways to overcome the challenges of DEVOLSON in Rita Platt’s resource-rich post.
Articles / Classroom Discussion / Talking about Race
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/15/2018 · Last modified 02/03/2024
In his powerful book “Not Light, But Fire” teacher Matthew Kay shares three rules of discussion – each centered around listening – that he teaches his students. His goal is to transform the classroom into a true “safe space” for difficult conversations about race and life.
Class Apps / Communication Skills
by Curtis Chandler · Published 10/14/2018 · Last modified 11/26/2019
Texting isn’t talking. With so much digital communication among students, Curtis Chandler wants to be sure they can also speak, listen and make eye contact with others, skills they need now and in the future. He has ideas and tools for bridging the communications gap.
Create Compose Connect / Improving Student Writing
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 10/10/2018 · Last modified 12/06/2019
If your students have trouble switching back and forth from informal to formal writing – with all the inherent grammar, punctuation and capitalization problems – you’re not alone. Rather than just blame it on technology, Jeremy Hyler is using some tech to fight back.
Assets Based Mindset / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 10/07/2018 · Last modified 05/07/2025
The phrase “student assets” is heard a lot in education circles. But what does it truly mean to take on an assets based teaching mindset? What does that look like in our classrooms and lesson plans? ELL expert Valentina Gonzalez shares strategies to make it real.
