In The Right Tools Towanda Harris has created a system to review the literacy materials at a teacher’s disposal to decide which are strongest and weakest. She also includes strategies for finding fresh resources that better match student needs, says Erin Corrigan-Smith.
Create Compose Connect / Professional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 11/06/2019 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Teaching is hard work, but we should always be thinking about what we can do to get better at our craft, writes teacher and department chair Jeremy Hyler. Sometimes that means having difficult but crucial conversations with colleagues who need to make a greater commitment.
Healthy Teaching / Heart of the School
by Rita Platt · Published 11/03/2019 · Last modified 12/15/2019
Nobody should have to get used to sitting all day, least of all students in the middle grades. These kids are bundles of energy; we’ve got to keep them moving! Principal and NBCT Rita Platt shares five flexible strategies to boost retention while spreading enthusiasm.
Assessing ELs / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 10/27/2019 · Last modified 12/14/2019
Teachers need to learn what our students know and understand, but assessment can be difficult if language is a barrier for English learners. EL specialist Valentina Gonzalez offers tips to recognize unconscious bias, support learning with formative assessment, and more.
Close Reading the Media / Political Ads
by Frank Baker · Published 10/21/2019 · Last modified 11/14/2019
We know political advertising persuades and influences. When we use campaign ads in instruction and guide students through the analysis and deconstruction process, writes media literacy expert Frank Baker, we’re helping them become better critical thinkers and viewers.
Who needs Working Hard, Working Happy? Happy teachers! They will feel validated when they recognize many favorite practices. Unhappy teachers! They can nurture a culture of joy in their classrooms with the practical strategies Rita Platt offers, writes Anne Anderson.
Like a rocket launch, learning math lingo requires plenty of ongoing, personalized checkpoints. Author and instructional coach Pam Koutrakos offers a streamlined, easily replicable process we can all use to help middle grades students prepare to take off with math vocabulary.
Articles / Writing across Content Areas
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/09/2019 · Last modified 07/21/2020
Writing in science, math and social studies is different from writing in ELA classes, says literacy consultant Lynne Dorfman. A lot of content area writing is informal – its purpose is to promote inquiry and reflection, and it can help students think in more disciplined ways.
Jordan Walker-Reyes recommends Lori Wilfong’s Content Area Literacy Strategies That Work to all literacy coaches and facilitators, ESL teachers, and content area teachers who want to grow students’ content area knowledge while also increasing their literacy skills.
Podcasting is exploding, and teachers are discovering that listening to and producing podcasts are great ways to promote deeper learning. Former NPR reporter Monica Brady-Myerov shares the whys and hows of engaging kids in their own projects, with examples and resources.
