An effective Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) throughout a school serves every student while it helps identify and support those with learning disabilities. To demonstrate, teacher educators Barbara Blackburn and Bradley Witzel share four instructional strategies.
How can we recognize the significance and impact of our paraeducators to our students, and at the same time help them maximize their effectiveness? Principal and NBCT Rita Platt shares ways to appreciate them, keep communication open, and provide professional education.
Recently Sarah Tantillo worked with 8th grade teacher Bianca Licata to analyze students’ difficulty in effectively explaining how evidence supports arguments in their writing. After they identified causes and potential solutions, Licata tested their ideas in class.
Assessing Reading / Create Compose Connect
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 12/04/2018 · Last modified 11/27/2019
We want to help our students discover the joys of reading, writes 7th grade ELA teacher Jeremy Hyler. We also need to track their progress as readers. Check out some ways that Hyler assesses reading without committing “readicide,” using book websites, trailers and more.
The use of open-ended, visual tasks is a very non-traditional way of teaching and learning math. But its potential for expanding students’ mathematical creativity and understanding makes it well worth exploring! Math education consultant Jerry Burkhart shares examples.
As someone who teaches media literacy and popular culture, Frank Baker understands the need to meet students where they are. We know they watch TV and they discuss the characters, plots, etc. While they’re engaged, why not raise their awareness about TV commercialism?
How can we talk about giving students voice without thinking about oral communication? That’s the most important way humans express opinions and share knowledge, says veteran teacher-consultant Erik Palmer. Learn why he believes all students can become better speakers.
Math Anxiety / Meaningful Math
by Michelle Russell · Published 11/26/2018 · Last modified 12/04/2019
Michelle Russell wants students to leave her class with more math confidence, not defeated and thinking “it’s just too hard.” She shares plans to implement spiraling, expand test retakes, share her own stories of struggle, and concentrate more on prerequisite knowledge.
When it comes giving students feedback, our approach can be formal or informal, low-tech or high-tech, writes teacher educator Curtis Chandler. The important thing is that we are constantly observing and offering guidance. As always, Curtis shares lots of practical tips.
Being mindful of what is driving the decisions we make as educators is valuable. A good place to start is by defining our own core values. New principal Rita Platt shares a method for distilling those values and tells how she applied hers to several school decisions.
