You’re entering the final stretch of teaching your 2017-18 students. The school year is more than halfway through, winter vacation breaks are over, and you might be feeling a tinge of burnout. Jenny Grant Rankin shares strategies to help you thrive before summer arrives.
Relating to Students / The Flexible Classroom
by Amber Chandler · Published 02/26/2018 · Last modified 11/16/2019
Every school has a Giver – a keeper of collective memories. ELA teacher Amber Chandler can’t believe she’s waited so long to call upon Frontier Middle’s own Giver, guidance counselor Matt Schoeffield. He’ll soon retire, after 40 years, but first he has a story to tell.
It’s Oscar season and media literacy consultant Frank W. Baker has ideas about leveraging student interest in movies to teach visual literacy skills and learn about cool careers. Lots of resources, including teacher tools at the Oscars website.
Messaging Matters provides practical notions and step-by-step models to strengthen communication and build a positive culture with your students, parents, and community. And you can implement them almost immediately, writes school counselor Wendy Adams.
For many students, grammar is mostly about memorizing rules and having teachers correct their mistakes. Author Sean Ruday’s Bachelor Grammar activity helps them see how authors use grammatical concepts purposefully to make a piece of writing as strong as possible.
Difficult Topics / Kids on the Cusp
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 01/30/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Middle grades teacher Mary Tarashuk confronts the line between preserving childhood innocence and honestly exploring the real world. Are her sudden tears during the daily real aloud of The One and Only Ivan encroaching uncomfortably on that unidentifiable boundary?
Every year, writes teacher leader Jennifer Smith, schools “muddle through” standardized testing days trying to design schedules that take less time away from productive learning. Her 5th grade team tried a fresh approach that both engaged and energized test-weary kids.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Student Stress
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 01/28/2018 · Last modified 12/03/2019
When Cheryl Mizerny polled her students about their stress levels, she found both social and school related concerns: noise, homework, time management, grades and testing. She shares actions teachers and schools can take to mitigate stress and promote student growth.
Justice / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 01/23/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Coach Elizabeth Stein invites co-teachers to extend their MLK Day reflections and consider how Dr. King can move us on a very conscious level to co-create equity in our inclusive classrooms, using four action steps that include speaking our truth and accepting discomfort.
Class Apps / Emotional Learning
by Curtis Chandler · Published 01/21/2018 · Last modified 12/12/2019
Research has given us a better understanding of fun, but educators still struggle to make it part of classroom learning. Curtis Chandler shares 10 questions he asks as he works to create challenge and playfulness in his lessons. Engaging apps and tools are part of the mix.
