When it comes giving students feedback, our approach can be formal or informal, low-tech or high-tech, writes teacher educator Curtis Chandler. The important thing is that we are constantly observing and offering guidance. As always, Curtis shares lots of practical tips.
Educator Sarah Cooper finds herself gravitating to teaching books that call our social consciences awake, as Sara K. Ahmed’s Being the Change does as it asks teachers to be even more human in the classroom and thus impel your students to share their humanity with you.
Kids love visual texts such as art and photographs, but as with written texts, they often don’t know where to begin when asked to look at the works critically. Author and NBCT Marilyn Pryle finds that if given specific doorways, her students have much richer discussions.
Responsive Literacy’s 400 pages are well worth the read, writes Linda Biondi. Each of the contributing teacher educators present a theoretical framework and practical tools to apply in the classroom and guidance on how to help young students develop a love of literacy. Five stars.
Meaningful Math / Online Resources
by Michelle Russell · Published 10/29/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Michelle Russell is always looking for new resources for her math classes. But before she spends time incorporating new tools, she wants to know what the resources can do. Here she shares what she and her students think of two online math platforms – IXL and Delta Math.
Close Reading the Media / Critical Thinking
by Frank Baker · Published 10/24/2018 · Last modified 11/28/2019
The rise in fake news calls attention to the lack of critical thinking by many of today’s readers, including students. Media literacy expert Frank Baker shares an essential teaching tool and other resources for ELA and social studies teachers ready to address the issue.
Future of History / Making History Meaningful
by Sarah Cooper · Published 10/08/2018 · Last modified 11/16/2019
Sarah Cooper’s world has expanded since she became a podcast convert. She’s found many podcasts to love: Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History, Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy and more. Among her top favorites is “Teaching Hard History” from Teaching Tolerance.
In Group Work That Works, Paul Vermette and Cynthia Kline draw on research and experience to provide a thorough plan, supported by extensive resources, for implementing collaborative learning. Educator Linda Biondi recommends the book to hesitant secondary teachers.
Collaboration doesn’t always come naturally (or calmly) for middle level students. Teacher Michael McClenaghan shares his success with three edtech tools (Soundtrap, WeVideo and the free G Suite) in facilitating meaningful teamwork and higher levels of student engagement.
Museum educator Christa Flores shares a summer STEM partnership that introduced middle schoolers to programmable microprocessors that can perform a variety of lab-oriented tasks. Flores, a former MS teacher, says it’s time to include computer skills in science classrooms.
