Troublemakers. Forgetters. The Clingers. The Confused. Barbara Blackburn looks at how we often jump to conclusions and miss chances to build trust, explore the needs behind the behaviors, and help students grow. Once we jump, she warns, it’s hard to jump back.
Articles / It's Not Easy Being Tween / Whole Novels / Whole Novels
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 06/12/2016 · Last modified 07/07/2024
Each school year Cheryl Mizerny’s 6th graders explore three whole novels as a class. In this post, she shares the 10 techniques she’s developed to maximize the experience, including “reading like writers” and applying fiction’s life lessons to their own world.
Bill Ivey, teacher and middle school dean at independent Stoneleigh-Burnham School for girls, is on a quest to increase the student voice, choice and agency in his 7th grade classroom. In this end-of-year reflection, Ivey shares some next steps he’s considering.
Though David Sherrin’s lessons and examples are especially helpful to English and social studies classes, any teacher wanting to try the engaging strategy of role playing will appreciate his book full of how-to ideas, says 7th grade teacher Emily Prissel.
In Who’s Doing the Work? Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris ask important questions about how literacy teachers should approach reading instruction for a new generation of students. Reviewer and former literacy coach Nancy Chodoroff has high praise for their insights.
Book Reviews / Student Driven Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 05/19/2016 · Last modified 11/12/2019
Want to shift ownership of the classroom to your students, give up reward and punishment systems, eliminate homework, and revamp your current grading system? Laura Von Staden suggests starting with Pernille Ripp’s resource-rich, inspiring Passionate Learners.
Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and Diane Lapp want teachers to use the ideas and advice in Text Complexity “to support every student in becoming more skilled at reading complex texts.” Anne Anderson reports their book will “stretch” both teachers and students!
Building on their 2001 edition of Dealing with Difficult Parents, Todd Whitaker and Douglas J. Fiore offer a valuable resource for professional development, says reviewer Holly Foley, especially when addressing difficult relationships between home and school.
Co-teaching Reflections / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 05/09/2016 · Last modified 11/14/2019
The general educator’s perspective is critical as special educators strive to strike a balance and co-teach effectively. Elizabeth Stein queried two co-teaching general ed teachers and asked them to choose a color that represented their co-teaching experience.
