Teaching guru Barbara R. Blackburn returns to her roots in the classroom to give new teachers a list of quick tips – 26, one for each letter of the alphabet – all ideas that will help newbies launch and navigate their journeys. Included: her list of links to essential resource websites.
When you ask students to research a topic, what happens? Chances are some students will struggle. The authors explain how they use Inquiry Charts to help middle grades students navigate the pitfalls of research and also develop agency as researchers and knowledge builders.
Free Reading Friday has transformed Laurie Miller Hornik’s 7th grade class into a reading community, without having to cut back on whole-class text studies. Students arrive on Fridays ready to talk and write about the free reading they’ve done outside of school during the week.
100-Word Stories is a valuable resource, providing a structured yet flexible framework that serves as a tool to enrich language instruction and a catalyst for exploration and creative expression in the classroom. It will be especially valuable to her SLIFE learners, writes Melinda Stewart.
In her second article examining the five key questions she has identified to help students become critical readers, author and NBCT Marilyn Pryle recommends helping them move beyond what the text (or video, audio, meme, and so on) “says” and instead ask what it “shows.”
Teacher Ariel Sacks illustrates the value and practicality of offering more opportunities during writing instruction for students to imagine and create, says reviewer Stacy Haynes-Moore. One highlight: The book includes four months of curriculum with integrated roles for students.
While questions about literature can focus on identifying elements, Jason DeHart wants to expand his students’ thinking beyond matching words and examples. He begins with two questions designed to move students deeper into a text: “What’s that?” and “What’s that doing there?”
Ruth Miller finds Lessons That Last an indispensable guide to enriching teaching practice and fostering a impactful learning environment. The book’s lessons, drawn from interviews with former students, affirm the significance of teachers’ work and the lasting influence we have.
So much to do! As teachers in grades 4-6 enter their first classrooms, Kathleen Palmieri offers keys to getting started. She includes accessing mentors, keeping track of planning, Google tools, engaging students, finding sources for class libraries and décor, and self-care.
Who will be coming in your door this fall? Upper elementary? Slightly older kids who sometimes feel childish and at other times want to be treated as adults? Here are MiddleWeb’s back-to-school strategies from educators that can help make all of your new students feel welcome!
