Despite the success of last spring’s well informed debates in her 8th grade U.S. History classes, Sarah Cooper is taking an indefinite break from the no-holds-barred, winner-takes-all style of discussion in favor of more collaborative, consensus building strategies.
Encouraging Quality / Heart of the School
by Rita Platt · Published 04/30/2018 · Last modified 12/01/2019
There is a growing flood of poor quality work being turned in by students. How can teachers turn the tide on rushed assignments filled with errors and unclear thinking? Teacher and soon-to-be principal Rita Platt shares her strategies for encouraging excellent writing.
Mathematics author and consultant Jerry Burkhart is back with more ways to get students excited about the magic of numbers and ready to become “adventurous learners.” His interactions with a middle grades enrichment class may spark engaging ideas of your own.
Justice / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 01/23/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Coach Elizabeth Stein invites co-teachers to extend their MLK Day reflections and consider how Dr. King can move us on a very conscious level to co-create equity in our inclusive classrooms, using four action steps that include speaking our truth and accepting discomfort.
Katherine Bomer provides concrete suggestions that help teachers move away from formulaic essay teaching while helping young writers name and revise their thinking, reveal truth, and weave in other voices as they draft, fine-tune, and revise, says Brian Kelley.
Co-teaching Success / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 01/30/2017 · Last modified 12/06/2019
Don’t just think outside the co-teaching box – get out of the box altogether, into a no-boundaries partnership. Coach & NBCT Elizabeth Stein shares several strategies, including informal, efficient co-planning and divergent thinking activities to spark creativity.
Are today’s students impatient to solve problems without enough thought? Curtis Chandler recalls Ms. Porcupine’s 6th-grade brain stretchers that required him to slow down and think methodically. He shares one about castles and crocodiles and has tips on creating more.
Teaching Mistakes / The Flexible Classroom
by Amber Chandler · Published 10/16/2016 · Last modified 11/12/2019
Last year, Amber Chandler reluctantly admits to herself, her lesson plan for teaching “The Most Dangerous Game” wasn’t stellar. Instead of tossing it, she decided to figure out what went wrong. Honest reflection, she’s convinced, is the only way teachers grow.
Class Apps / Student Notetaking
by Curtis Chandler · Published 09/27/2016 · Last modified 03/15/2024
Effective note-taking can deepen understanding, but students rarely develop this skill on their own, writes Curtis Chandler. With a few tweaks we can help middle schoolers transform the painful process of note-taking into a terrific tool for thinking. Tips & links!
Warren Combs’ book on using constructed responses in everyday instruction “effortlessly demonstrates the power of using short, frequent writing to learn activities that focus on standards across the curriculum,” says literacy coach Laurell Parris. Great for PLCs.
