Education isn’t about what the teacher does, it’s about what the child learns, write Genius Hour innovators Denise Krebs and Gallit Zvi. Learning happens in every subject when students have a purpose and are given autonomy and time. And their learning can benefit the world.
Two Teachers in the Room / Universal Design for Learning
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 06/30/2020 · Last modified 08/02/2023
As we consider what school will look like this fall, teaching coach Elizabeth Stein shows how the Universal Design for Learning gives educators flexibility to teach effectively within and without any learning space – fully in person, fully remote, or using a hybrid model.
Rita Platt peruses lots of professional texts, but the books she reads each year to meet her personal Goodreads goal cross many genres. Some are funny. Some are scary. Some examine America’s urgent problems. Not your typical PD books, but they have plenty to say to educators.
The authors of the Social Studies Teacher’s Toolbox have constructed a research-based “honest, human guide” to helping students understand and care about what they learn. You will dig through and dog-ear it, and your students will be the richer for it, writes Sarah Cooper.
What are your non-negotiables for teaching English Learners? When EL specialist Valentina Gonzalez asked her Twitter PLN, the response was overwhelming. Read what educators had to say and consider Valentina’s process for teams to confer and agree on a list of your own.
Articles / New Teacher Advice / Teacher Self-care
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/23/2020 · Last modified 06/28/2020
How do we ‘not take things personally’? We take feedback seriously but not to a point of diminishing our value. Teacher educator Victoria Lentfer, author of Keep Calm and Teach, shares ways to prepare for the stress and anxiety novices may encounter in the school environment.
In addition to offering how-to’s on presenting read-alouds, Rebecca Bellingham shares extensive resources for taking students beyond hearing a story to understanding the story and learning how to share their reactions. Sixth grade teacher Jeny Randall finds lots to use.
“I used to think clever lessons would show students how much I cared,” writes sixth grade teacher Kelly Owens. But she’s come to understand that “If you want to fully engage and motivate students to delve into your innovative instruction, get going first with a greeting!”
Future of History / Pandemic Learning
by Sarah Cooper · Published 06/14/2020 · Last modified 10/19/2022
With her eighth graders’ online history podcast project now complete, Sarah Cooper shares six takeaways that have helped her imagine not only how to improve this assignment in future iterations, but how she can continue to grow as a teacher facilitating remote learning.
Video documentation is a powerful tool in news reporting, whether it’s done by professional journalists or by ordinary people with instant access to video cameras. Frank Baker looks at the history of news video as a “primary source” for historians and middle grades teachers.
