Executive Function / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 11/19/2018 · Last modified 02/17/2024
Drawing on her special education background, ELA teacher Cheryl Mizerny works to build kids’ executive function skills. Here she offers techniques to help strengthen what she considers the most crucial skills for middle schoolers: task initiation, organization, and time management.
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.
Create Compose Connect / Literature Circles
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 11/07/2018 · Last modified 12/04/2019
Jeremy Hyler found Harvey Daniels’ classic Literature Circles inspiring, but was left wondering how he could get his seventh graders to continue discussing books outside of class with the energy of book club members. Here’s how he took circles online with digital tools.
Current Events / Future of History
by Sarah Cooper · Published 11/06/2018 · Last modified 11/17/2019
After three hate crimes in one week in late October, 8th grade teacher Sarah Cooper came in on Monday ready to talk, “to imagine how we could react in healing ways.” Yet, as her first class began, “I realized this conversation would be different. As a Jew, I felt shaken.”
The Unstoppable ML Teacher / Videos in Class
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 11/04/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Short animated videos are excellent for supporting literacy skills while making learning fun. For English learners they can serve as a scaffold when studying story elements. Valentina Gonzalez shares a multi-day video plan and lots of films, including some award winners.
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.
International Mindedness / Wide Open Learning
by Megan Kelly · Published 10/28/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Having taught internationally since 2003, Megan Kelly loves to share her experience and enthusiasm with her students in hope they’ll become more globally minded and curious people. Here she shares strategies she uses in her classroom to open the world up to middle graders.
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.
With the “let’s be nice” novelty of the first weeks of school fading, you’re tired and the kids are restless. It may be time to refresh your systems for maintaining positive behavior. Discover ways to overcome the challenges of DEVOLSON in Rita Platt’s resource-rich post.
Create Compose Connect / Improving Student Writing
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 10/10/2018 · Last modified 12/06/2019
If your students have trouble switching back and forth from informal to formal writing – with all the inherent grammar, punctuation and capitalization problems – you’re not alone. Rather than just blame it on technology, Jeremy Hyler is using some tech to fight back.
