Adventures in Teacher Leadership is brief yet packed with how-to’s for any situation a teacher leader might encounter. Practical and concise, this book written by two State TOYs has resources for new and veteran teacher leaders alike, says new leader Michelle Voelker.
Frequent high-quality class conversations make a huge difference in how far middle grades students advance academically, socially and emotionally, writes author and teaching coach Jeff Zwiers. Learn about five skills that can help students build ideas through dialogue.
Every principal has dealt with unhappy or angry parents and guardians. Many family members simply have a concern and want to share it with someone they believe can resolve the problem. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn offer ways to calm waters and get to solutions.
Healthy Teaching / Heart of the School
by Rita Platt · Published 11/03/2019 · Last modified 12/15/2019
Nobody should have to get used to sitting all day, least of all students in the middle grades. These kids are bundles of energy; we’ve got to keep them moving! Principal and NBCT Rita Platt shares five flexible strategies to boost retention while spreading enthusiasm.
Class Apps / Student Questioning
by Curtis Chandler · Published 10/29/2019 · Last modified 11/15/2019
One of our teaching tasks with the highest rate of return on time invested is working with students to develop their capacity and confidence to ask good questions. Curtis Chandler offers the research-based tips and tools we need to make eager inquiry an everyday event.
Assessing ELs / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 10/27/2019 · Last modified 12/14/2019
Teachers need to learn what our students know and understand, but assessment can be difficult if language is a barrier for English learners. EL specialist Valentina Gonzalez offers tips to recognize unconscious bias, support learning with formative assessment, and more.
Educators and parents alike will find How Many? A Counting Book a beautiful adventure in learning about how children can grapple with the complexities of mathematical reasoning in relatively simple terms using everyday objects, says history (?!) teacher Michael DiClemente.
Pam Koutrakos offers a goldmine of fresh ideas we can dig into as we launch our word study routines – building our repertoire so we can stay engaged with word learning all year long. Best of all, she shares good ways to assess student progress and keep track of growth.
Dina Strasser finds more poets are writing about climate change and other social justice issues. Such poems can provide alternatives to middle schoolers when themes aren’t too entangled in complex structures. She suggests some options students can “hook into easily.”
In summer, Mary Tarashuk carefully prepared her literacy hope chest for 2019-20. Now, after a month of school, it has somehow morphed into a Pandora’s box. Though she is sheltering hope in this new box, she feels challenged to meet kids’ needs and district time demands.
