Teachers can capitalize on what our students already know and can do by purposely choosing to employ the independent “You do” phase of the gradual release of responsibility (GRR) at the start. Sunday Cummins and Julie Webb show how this strategy can build student agency.
Blended teaching? Hybrid teaching? Remote teaching? We don’t know for sure when teaching “pandemic-style” will go away, but with a look over the last year, here are 13 insightful MiddleWeb articles about surviving the “blend” and hanging on to some strategies that were long overdue.
When co-teachers implement Honigsfeld and Dove’s collaborative instructional cycle – co-planning, co-assessing and co-reflecting – multilingual students and their fellow students benefit from the robust, dynamic instruction, writes language specialist Tan Huynh.
Learning about lots of books students might enjoy is not an easy task, write literacy educators Lynne Dorfman and Brenda Krupp. How can teachers become experts in children’s literature? First “we have to really read the books.” Browse their many tips and resources.
Future of History / Making History Meaningful
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 09/15/2021 · Last modified 09/21/2024
How should we teach US History? Is it mostly about caring? Or critical thinking? What about historical knowledge? Teacher Lauren Brown stands firm for content. “If we’ve learned anything from the culture wars this year it’s that too many Americans do not know their history.”
Using the strategies he shares here, ELA teacher and professional development author Jeremy Hyler has been able to reach more middle grades students and help them understand how they can power up their ability to communicate by learning grammar skills and code switching.
In the 1970s Anne Jolly took a break from science research to spend a year teaching middle school. How hard could it be? A lifetime later, she shares her story of continuous professional growth as she learned to engage her “mysterious, amazing” students in true STEM learning.
The PD Curator offers strategies for crafting professional learning. Middle school director and teacher Jeny Randall says the book can guide school leaders in creating a culture of learning that is mindful of equity and promotes the involvement of all teachers.
Close Reading the Media / The Emmy Awards
by MiddleWeb · Published 09/08/2021 · Last modified 09/12/2021
The Emmy Awards continue to be a rich source of teaching ideas for educators who have an interest in media, television and film literacy. Expert Frank Baker’s latest edition of his annual Emmys column offers background perspective, teaching ideas and additional resources.
Ever met a student who thrives when we are with them during reading instruction but struggles during independent reading? Meghan Duermit and Sunday Cummins recommend simple strategies like quick book talks to build a bridge to the wilder world of reading on one’s own.
