Teaching and learning in grades 4-8

Taking Poetry Writing into Digital Spaces

Using Google Slides for poetry writing proved to be a win-win for Kevin Hodgson and his 6th graders, who tried out various poetic forms, used technology to publish original writing, applied elements of web design, and learned to attribute the work of others.

Don’t Let Class Tech Be Just a Garnish

Teacher Cheryl Mizerny is not anti-tech, just anti-bad pedagogy – the kind that crops up when the garnish of tech overshadows the deep learning that can happen when teaching is “brain based, not screen-based.” Make the app fit the lesson, she says, not the other way around.

What School Should Really Be About

It remains unclear to Mary Tarashuk how rampant standardized testing is actually helping her fourth graders become successful and enthusiastic learners. As she prepares for her own evaluation, Mary shares pushback from parents, students, and HBO’s John Oliver.

A School Where Inquiry Flourishes

With its inquiry focus, Learning for Real reminded reviewer Linda Biondi of “the value of teaching thinking strategies, connecting content learning and content literacy, and making my classroom a place where my students’ passion for learning is evident.”

4 Ways to Motivate Kids to Tackle Complex Text

Seventh grade teacher Kami Spampinato uses four kid-savvy strategies to get her students to “buy in” to reading complex texts. In this post, former MS educator Anne Vilen of Expeditionary Learning summarizes each technique and shares supporting EL videos.

STEM Is Not a Threat to a Liberal Education

Op-ed columnists often spread misconceptions about STEM education, says expert Anne Jolly. An article by Fareed Zakaria claims STEM is threatening the future of liberal education, but Jolly says good STEM programs can actually address several of Zakaria’s concerns.

Help Students Close Read Iconic Images

Every day news images flood our print publications, digital spaces and social media apps. Why do some become iconic and unforgettable? Media literacy expert Frank Baker suggests ways that students can explore this question through close reading & research.