Teaching and learning in grades 4-8

Critical Readers Search Beyond ‘Right’ Answers

In her second article examining the five key questions she has identified to help students become critical readers, author and NBCT Marilyn Pryle recommends helping them move beyond what the text (or video, audio, meme, and so on) “says” and instead ask what it “shows.”

Engaging All Students with Imaginative Writing

Teacher Ariel Sacks illustrates the value and practicality of offering more opportunities during writing instruction for students to imagine and create, says reviewer Stacy Haynes-Moore. One highlight: The book includes four months of curriculum with integrated roles for students.

2 Questions Help Move Kids Deeper into Texts

While questions about literature can focus on identifying elements, Jason DeHart wants to expand his students’ thinking beyond matching words and examples. He begins with two questions designed to move students deeper into a text: “What’s that?” and “What’s that doing there?”

Do Less This Year to Let Kids Do More in Math

This school year teacher-coach Mona Iehl is committing to do less so that her math students can do more. More thinking, more problem solving, more growing, all to empower them to take the lead in their learning and give them space to figure things out. Learn how she does it!

How to Create a Co-Teaching Power Zone

To avoid experiencing co-teaching within an imbalanced power relationship, author, NBCT and co-teaching coach Elizabeth Stein shares a process that strengthens co-teaching through a dynamic exchange of individual and collective power – truly in partnership with one another.

Engage All Students with Offbeat Math Problems

“Try It! Math Problems for All” by Jerry Kaplan is just what math teachers want: a collection of offbeat, open-ended problems, riddles and brain teasers to engage the most reluctant student. Math teacher Michael Hernandez can’t wait to lure in his middle schoolers this fall.

New to Teaching Grades 4-6? Try These Ideas

So much to do! As teachers in grades 4-6 enter their first classrooms, Kathleen Palmieri offers keys to getting started. She includes accessing mentors, keeping track of planning, Google tools, engaging students, finding sources for class libraries and décor, and self-care.