In The Gift of Failure, teacher/writer Jessica Lahey calls on parents to value failures along the way to help children build growth mindsets. She also effectively describes how educators can work with parents, reports retired principal Mary Langer Thompson.
Future of History / Project Based Learning
by Jody & Shara · Published 03/22/2016 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Project-based learning in history class can be challenging as teachers juggle a content-laden curriculum and limited class time. Shara and Jody and their tech colleague Doug Hinko set out to find practical ways to make PBL work with a unit on medieval China.
Hands-on learning can spark studentsβ imagination when school moves outdoors. It can also increase engagement & improve academic performance. Teachers and administrators from coast to coast are finding ways to open doors to Nature.
Susan Brooks-Young offers a gateway to designing a Hybrid Mobile Technology Program in any unique school district setting. Her brief book features an abundance of resources, guidelines, and questions, says Joshua Zagorski, a K-12 STEM supervisor and instructional technologist.
When creating a makerspace, keep Laura Fleming’s “Worlds of Making” at hand. Her brief book covers the spectrum, from practical considerations to the impact of school culture, says Sandy Wisneski, herself in the midst of makerspace development.
Being a school leader is incredibly demanding, requiring principals to stay current on education trends while managing day to day operations. Williamson and Blackburn share five actionable trends they’ve observed in their work with middle grades leaders.
Jeff Benson’s 10 Steps to Manage Change in Schools offers an efficient blueprint for leadership teams, forcing participants to think critically about the rationale for change and its likely impacts. Sustainable improvement will justify the time commitment.
Genius Hour gives students the opportunity to be autonomous in their learning. Sometimes, though, they need a little start-up help. Experts Gallit Zvi and Denise Krebs share lots of starter ideas for students and classrooms and urge readers to add their own.
Rubrics are important tools, says author and veteran MS educator Elyse Scott, but teachers need a more whole-student approach to formative assessment and feedback β one that attends “to that most basic need of young adolescents: one-on-one communication.”
Remember AAA’s Triptiks β the travel resource kits put together for members? If so, you have some inkling of consultant Mike Fisher’s idea to rev up mid-grades curriculum across content areas by having students create their own project-specific learning journeys.
