Grading Practices / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 06/17/2019 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Even if we don’t yet teach in a grade-less utopia, there are steps teachers can take to become more accurate and equitable in our grading policies. Cheryl Mizerny shares steps toward fairer grading: eliminate zeroes, avoid extra points, don’t grade homework, and more.
In a new edition of Teaching What Really Happened, Loewen moves beyond textbook distortions of historical facts and calls for teaching unvarnished history to educate “critical citizens.” History educator Michael DiClemente highlights insights all K-12 teachers can use.
Discover the potential of writing workshop to welcome students into engaging and productive writing practice in Shubitz and Dorfman’s Welcome to Writing Workshop. You’ll find all your questions about writing workshop answered, promises teacher educator Linda Biondi.
The ideas behind place-based education are being discussed in more schools and communities, as years of test-driven instruction have many looking for better ways to learn. Fieldwork coordinator Sarah K. Anderson shares the inspiring program at public Cottonwood School.
Christopher Danielson takes kids, tweens and teens on a journey of exploration as they think about and interact with math in new ways. Based in his research and teaching, How Many? helps students see far beyond simple responses and think creatively, writes Linda Biondi.
As you relax into summer break, keep an eye on what’s up with STEM learning. Expert Anne Jolly shares resources for keeping up with STEM news and lesson ideas as you reflect on what worked (and didn’t) last year and consider how to amp things up for next fall’s students.
What a difference a year makes! Rita Platt reflects on takeaways from her first year as a principal with observations that may buoy other new and aspiring school leaders: avoid your office, encourage laughter, recognize that all staffers play essential roles, and much more.
In his latest book, Super Spellers Starter Sets, Mark Weakland provides a classroom resource to support the principles he presented in 2017’s Super Spellers – that spelling should not simply be a list of words to know for a test but a learned skill essential to literacy.
Remember Ralphie’s theme in A Christmas Story? Today’s ELA educators would love to see that kind of writing commitment, says Jeremy Hyler. Instead he’s seeing a lack of writing endurance in his 6th and 7th graders. Here’s some of what Hyler does to improve their stamina.
Close Reading the Media / Visual Literacy
by Frank Baker · Published 05/15/2019 · Last modified 11/25/2019
It’s not a simple matter to separate photojournalism from visual propaganda intended to sway emotions and opinions. Drawing in part on iconic images from Dorothea Lange’s career, expert Frank Baker explores the question and shares SEL and media literacy lesson resources.
