Teaching and learning in grades 4-8

Changing Harmful Beliefs about Math Education

Delving into commonly held beliefs about learning math and discussing productive struggle and growth mindset are central to Lidia Gonzalez’s Bad at Math?, a thoughtful look into what can be done to make math accessible to all students, writes math teacher Kathleen Palmieri.

26 Tips for Beginning Teachers, from A to Z

Teaching guru Barbara R. Blackburn returns to her roots in the classroom to give new teachers a list of quick tips – 26, one for each letter of the alphabet – all ideas that will help newbies launch and navigate their journeys. Included: her list of links to essential resource websites.

Use Inquiry Charts to Boost Student Research

When you ask students to research a topic, what happens? Chances are some students will struggle. The authors explain how they use Inquiry Charts to help middle grades students navigate the pitfalls of research and also develop agency as researchers and knowledge builders.

A Way to Increase Free Reading Outside of Class

Free Reading Friday has transformed Laurie Miller Hornik’s 7th grade class into a reading community, without having to cut back on whole-class text studies. Students arrive on Fridays ready to talk and write about the free reading they’ve done outside of school during the week.

100-Word Stories to Support SLIFE Literacy

100-Word Stories is a valuable resource, providing a structured yet flexible framework that serves as a tool to enrich language instruction and a catalyst for exploration and creative expression in the classroom. It will be especially valuable to her SLIFE learners, writes Melinda Stewart.