Laura Fleming’s Worlds of Making is an excellent guide to establishing a school-based center where students can be involved in creative “maker” activities. From finding space and getting buy-in to building student engagement, this short book has the answers, says reviewer Kevin Hodgson.
Flipped teaching / Future of History
by Jody & Shara · Published 05/03/2015 · Last modified 12/14/2019
Jody Passanisi’s post on confronting her flipped classroom bias is among MiddleWeb’s most popular articles. A year later, as she reflects on her flipped teaching experiment again, she finds herself “a little less starry-eyed and a little more strategic.”
In “Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools,” the authors provide a roadmap to help educators deconstruct a factory-style education system and introduce innovative approaches that empower students as learners, says reviewer Mackenzie Grate.
In sharing his own journey through the world of educational gaming, former teacher and USA Today reporter Greg Toppo helps readers consider both the potential and the possible pitfalls of game-enhanced learning, says sixth grade teacher Kevin Hodgson.
Co-teaching Models / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 04/27/2015 · Last modified 12/02/2019
Collaborating teachers share the energy of co-teaching models: alternative, parallel, station, and team teaching. With the summer countdown underway, it’s a perfect time to reinvigorate your teaching by taking those models to class, says Elizabeth Stein.
Each chapter of Stop Leading Like It’s Yesterday gives an example of “yesterday’s way of thinking” and offers a new strategy for pursuing change, assessing success, and having critical conversations. MS administrator Tamekia McCauley plans to try several.
Kelly Gallagher’s “In the Best Interest of Students” considers both the strengths and shortcomings of the Common Core ELA anchor standards. In this excerpt, Gallagher stresses the need for students to have “worthy models” at every stage of the writing process.
The new edition of A School Leader’s Guide to Excellence offers essential ideas for collaborating with all school stakeholders. Reviewer Tamekia McCauley says the authors provide extensive implementation guidance for their 9 topics, from Planning to Culture.
Dialogue circles can facilitate brain function and help “increase generosity, trust, intrinsic motivation, social connection, and cooperation so students can work together for a common purpose,” writes inner-city middle school principal David Palank.
Urban ELA teacher Mackenzie Grate found mock trials to be the perfect vehicle to encourage reading, teach speaking & listening, and prepare her 6th graders for their first argumentative writing essay. How-to tips, downloads and lessons learned included.
