Math teacher Michelle Russell is busy implementing her summer plans for the first days of school, matching activities to 5 goals she wants to accomplish – build community, puts kids at ease, introduce procedures, do a little math, and have fun. Discover what’s worked so far!
Mental health counselor Emily Kircher-Morris provides parents of twice-exceptional children with keys to help their neurodivergent gifted kids develop lifelong skills with a focus on affirmation and self-acceptance. Amy Estersohn finds the book clear and easy to browse.
Providing consistent opportunities for students to learn about and practice social emotional skills in middle school advisory can aid in their behavioral and academic growth. Teacher Kasey Short suggests 14 read-aloud picture books with questions that can support that growth.
In The Gift of Story John Schu shows how to use the roles of story as clarifier, healer, inspiration, compassion, and connector to bring reading alive. Literacy leader Sarah Valter loves how ‘Mr. Schu’ emphasizes the many ways stories can weave us all closer together.
New Teacher Tips / Staying in Balance
by Curtis Chandler · Published 08/09/2022 · Last modified 07/17/2024
When Curtis Chandler began ‘longboarding’ to work, he endured a newbie’s trial-by-fire. After many bruises he took a friend’s words to heart and opened to the learning experience. The tips he shares here can help beginning teachers “embrace the challenging reality of our profession.”
Math students in the middle grades want the truth: “Why should math matter to me?” To show them, curriculum leader Christian Polizzi suggests making real-world connections, asking students for examples in their own lives, and having them create “personalized” math problems.
If we do not invest more of our school time and resources in creating well educated citizens, there will be dire consequences. Educators Shawn McCusker and Tom Driscoll offer educators five steps to make civic education more meaningful and help contribute to a healthy democracy.
Engaging with What’s Your Leadership Story? by Gretchen Oltman and Vicki Bautista will help leaders – especially newer ones – articulate their purpose and bring their whole selves to school each day. School leader Sarah Cooper appreciates the book’s practical honesty.
Teaching guru Dr. Barbara Blackburn’s MiddleWeb articles – often written with new and novice teachers in mind – are crisp, succinct, practical, filled with examples, and respectful of teachers’ time and the challenges they face. We’ve gathered a dozen of her most popular posts.
When DeAnna Miller became assistant principal in 2019, she could never have anticipated the challenges pandemic schooling would bring. Looking back now, she identifies her most important lesson learned: “Real leadership is recognizing that we must serve the people we lead.”
