Brain Friendly Strategies / end-of-year learning / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 05/16/2017 · Last modified 11/27/2019
Spring is in the air and kids’ attention is fluttering around and beyond the room. Elizabeth Stein shares a bit of timely brain science and offers strategies to help co-teachers bring their students’ attention back to class as the end of school approaches.
“Since many students are in my class multiple times,” writes ELL teacher Wendi Pillars, “I’m always seeking new topics to tie literacy skills together.” This year one theme was “Zero Hunger” through sustainable agriculture. A perfect hook for a unit on eating insects.
Research leaves little doubt that strategic use of groups and teams boosts achievement for most students, says teacher educator Curtis Chandler. Learn about the key elements of group work and several digital tools that make forming groups flexible and efficient.
After using Page-to-Stage Writing Workshop for Students with her 7th graders, ELA teacher Nicole Waychol is convinced that once you read the book, author Kwame Alexander is going to have you saying “yes.” Yes to jazz. Yes to writing. Yes to poetry. Yes to publishing.
Close Reading the Media / Quick Media Lit Lessons
by Frank Baker · Published 05/01/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Consultant Frank Baker often hears teachers and media specialists raise concerns about the time it takes to facilitate a visual or media literacy lesson. In this post he shares several ideas for 15-minute lesson segments using familiar magazines for kids and adults.
Integrating performance-boosting Social Emotional Learning requires educators to broaden school goals beyond pure academics. Debbie Silver shares four tips for teaching “Thrive” skills that lay the foundation for healthy, centered, and successful young adults.
State math consultant Sara Schafer is often asked for rich math projects at the elementary school level. While some of the projects in 10 Performance-Based Projects show promise, the lack of mathematically robust content in the grades 3-5 book disappoints her.
Close Reading the Media / Covering the Presidency
by Frank Baker · Published 03/13/2017 · Last modified 11/26/2019
How the news media functions and how it covers the White House are important for today’s students to understand, says media literacy expert Frank Baker. He reviews current controversies growing out of President Trump’s “war on the media” and offers teaching ideas.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Teacher Collaboration
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 03/12/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Noting the barrage of criticism educators face from beyond the classroom, Cheryl Mizerny recommends that teachers across the generations unite to build the profession through full collaboration, rejecting the current widespread stereotyping of rookies and veterans.
In Tapping the Power of Personalized Learning, James Rickbaugh supports school leaders as they share the how-to’s and the why’s with staff. Instructional coach Debbie Parker thinks teachers can also benefit by gaining more understanding about implementation.
