It's Not Easy Being Tween / Social-Emotional Learning
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 11/06/2017 · Last modified 12/15/2019
Off to a great start, Cheryl Mizerny continues to promote a Year of Kindness among her 6th graders and her school. Here she looks ahead and describes plans for the rest of the year. You’ll find lots of resources to promote kindness among your own students and community.
Ad Techniques / Close Reading the Media
by Frank Baker · Published 10/31/2017 · Last modified 12/01/2019
In today’s advertising-saturated world, their attention may be the most valuable thing students own. Marketers want it and they’ll grab it anyway they can. It’s the job of educators to make sure kids understand what’s going on, media literacy expert Frank W. Baker says.
Practical SEL / The Flexible Classroom
by Amber Chandler · Published 10/23/2017 · Last modified 11/13/2019
Integrating social-emotional learning into your classroom is necessary and practical, writes eighth-grade teacher, book author, and NBCT Amber Chandler, in a time when “loads of research tells us that kinder, gentler classrooms are better learning environments.”
Future of History / Historical thinking
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 10/17/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
There’s no perfect teaching recipe that balances patriotism and civic responsibility, says middle school history teacher Lauren Brown. But if educators attempt to ignore the low points in America’s past, they’ll insult students’ intelligence and lose their trust.
Don’t Suspend Me! can be used to ramp up school and district discussions about discipline policies. Principals, discipline teams, and individual teachers whose schools don’t have access to onsite PBIS training might adapt the book’s suggestions, says Mary L. Thompson.
Educators talk about giving students “voice, choice and agency,” says NBCT Rita Platt, but how does that actually happen in a practical, curriculum-friendly way? Platt believes the secret is teaching students to set goals. Learn about her 5-step process (tools included).
Scaffolds / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 10/08/2017 · Last modified 02/13/2024
If we provide scaffolds for the students who need it – especially ELLs who represent so many different backgrounds – we can promote independent learning. Valentina Gonzalez offers five easy-to-implement strategies to help make lessons ELL-friendly in any content area.
Reading is reinforced when students have hands-on experience with the ideas they find in informational texts. ELA teacher Brian Cook’s after-school drones program helps students explore flight, consider privacy and safety issues, and learn more about new careers.
Debbie Silver’s worst mistake? She managed to teach middle level science classes for too many years without ever fully embracing the practice of pre-assessment. See how her teaching changed and how yours might too with her simple go-to pre-assessment tools.
Close Reading the Media / News Literacy
by Frank Baker · Published 09/26/2017 · Last modified 11/16/2019
No one knows for sure whether there will be actual war with North Korea, but talk about the potential conflict abounds on TV and in social media. Media literacy expert Frank W. Baker calls on teachers to help students learn how to identify trustworthy news sources now.
