International Mindedness / Wide Open Learning
by Megan Kelly · Published 10/28/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Having taught internationally since 2003, Megan Kelly loves to share her experience and enthusiasm with her students in hope they’ll become more globally minded and curious people. Here she shares strategies she uses in her classroom to open the world up to middle graders.
Combining anecdotes, research and common sense, school psychologist Ben Springer walks you through what doesn’t work and what you can try instead when you encounter aggressive behavior in students. Alex Valencic recommends reading about the author’s happy kid formula now.
Retired teacher and principal and now math tutor Beth Ferguson wants to develop students’ ability not just to manipulate numbers but communicate their math understanding. She has found both research and plenty of tools in Teaching Students to Communicate Mathematically.
Close Reading the Media / Critical Thinking
by Frank Baker · Published 10/24/2018 · Last modified 11/28/2019
The rise in fake news calls attention to the lack of critical thinking by many of today’s readers, including students. Media literacy expert Frank Baker shares an essential teaching tool and other resources for ELA and social studies teachers ready to address the issue.
With the workplace pressure most teachers experience, it’s crucial to prioritize tasks so you can accomplish everything you need to do. Julia Thompson’s 5-step process can help you move forward, meet goals, and reduce your stress levels to achieve a work-life balance.
In Leading School Change, Todd Whitaker focuses on strategies to successfully navigate cultural changes, using specific examples. Educator Laura Von Staden particularly likes his coverage of how standardization has as a cost, often holding back the best teachers.
Inclusion / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 10/09/2018 · Last modified 12/11/2019
Veteran special and general education teacher Cheryl Mizerny describes ways that general educators can be most effective teaching all students within inclusion classrooms. She highlights necessary underlying beliefs, key assumptions, and hallmarks of inclusive teaching.
Future of History / Making History Meaningful
by Sarah Cooper · Published 10/08/2018 · Last modified 11/16/2019
Sarah Cooper’s world has expanded since she became a podcast convert. She’s found many podcasts to love: Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History, Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy and more. Among her top favorites is “Teaching Hard History” from Teaching Tolerance.
Assets Based Mindset / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 10/07/2018 · Last modified 11/26/2019
The phrase “student assets” is heard a lot in education circles. But what does it truly mean to take on an assets based teaching mindset? What does that look like in our classrooms and lesson plans? ELL expert Valentina Gonzalez shares strategies to make it real.
If every elementary, English and history teacher did even one of the book’s activities each year, our understanding of our students would deepen immeasurably, as would their appreciation of their families and their communities, both local and global, writes Sarah Cooper.
