Teaching and learning in grades 4-8

Students Illuminate Their Ideas with Paper Circuitry

When sixth grade ELA teacher Kevin Hodgson’s students were asked to help pilot new paper circuitry learning tools developed at the MIT Media Lab, they chose to illuminate haiku poems about light. The technology draws on the work of Jie Qi, a mechanical engineer and MIT doctoral student known for her work with electrified paper.

Successful Intentional Talk in Mathematics Class

Intentional Talk, says reviewer Linda Biondi, gives upper elementary educators an unparalleled look at the important role classroom discussions can play in deepening students’ mathematical understanding, as well as the tools & insights to create a culture of questioning.

Why This Digital Teacher Loves Paper Dictionaries

The topic of dictionaries came up in assorted conversations in the past few weeks, reminding Kevin Hodgson both of the power of those esteemed books of words as symbols of thought and scholarship, and the ways in which technology is completely altering the ease and means of how we find information when we need it.

Student-Driven Classrooms: Keeping the Faith

In a 7th grade classroom where students are used to sharing ownership and know how to think on their feet, what does the teacher do when he asks a question and there’s absolute silence? Bill Ivey’s solution: Smile at all the parents in the room and trust the kids.