It's Not Easy Being Tween / Poetry
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 04/09/2017 · Last modified 03/30/2024
Over the years Cheryl Mizerny has crafted poetry experiences that her students really enjoy. Her reading and writing ideas enable kids to understand poems without dreading the annual “poetry unit” she herself disliked as a tween. She shares 10 of her favorites.
Frank Buck remembers the joy of playing the Tonette with 4th grade classmates. Today, any teacher with access to a set of iPads and a free app can introduce all students to elements of music, enjoy the kids’ hands-on sound experiments, and build engagement and a more vibrant classroom culture.
Class Apps / Emotional Learning
by Curtis Chandler · Published 03/14/2017 · Last modified 11/15/2019
How students feel about what is being taught and what they’re being asked to do works either as a catalyst or a deterrent to learning. Curtis Chandler shares activities and digital resources to help boost engagement and achievement by ’emotionalizing’ learning.
Teachers have lots of justifiable reasons to complain about their jobs, says author-educator Jenny Rankin. But “loving your work and experiencing peace and success on a daily basis are certainly within your reach.” Attitude isn’t everything, she says, but it helps to avoid toxic thinking.
Those eager to share “pristine” nonfiction text with students may appreciate the Kilgallon’s mentor sentence choices, which cross genres, topics, and cultures. But ELA teacher Amy Estersohn finds their workbook approach at odds with her workshop vision of teaching.
Class Apps / English Language Learners
by Curtis Chandler · Published 02/14/2017 · Last modified 12/05/2019
Today, 75% of U.S. classrooms have English Language Learners. So the question isn’t whether teachers will be working with ELL students, but what can we do to help them be successful. Teacher educator Curtis Chandler shares some great online tools to help ELLs learn.
Current Events Humor / Future of History
by Sarah Cooper · Published 01/24/2017 · Last modified 11/12/2019
Discussing political news in class continues to feel like “walking on glass barefoot,” says Sarah Cooper. She’s drawn toward humorous interpretations of current events to reduce tensions. After some trial and error, Cooper uses four criteria for video selection.
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.
Now that the blizzard of late semester papers has (probably) diminished, do you feel the need for a quick fix to your class organization regimen? Author/educator Roxanna Elden avoids excessive precision in structuring a practical 5-tray process to get you started.
BRAVO Principal, with its reflection questions and support exercises, is an effective resource for keeping school leaders centered on what matters most to promote the success of each of our students in our learning organizations, writes MS principal Dennis Schug.
