It's Not Easy Being Tween / Summer Learning / Summer PD
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 06/03/2018 · Last modified 05/22/2024
Each year Cheryl Mizerny looks forward to exploring her options for summertime learning. As you relax, reflect and look ahead to a new school year, try out some of her ideas for do-it-yourself professional development. They run the gamut from PJ’s to PD with Friends.
In the 100+ pages of Two Teachers in the Room, Elizabeth Stein provides a treasure trove of strategies, tips and ideas not only for co-teaching, but also for creating a student-centered learning environment in every classroom, says ESE leader Laura Von Staden.
Class Apps / Classroom Management
by Curtis Chandler · Published 05/29/2018 · Last modified 12/10/2019
Once you settle into summer break and find yourself thinking back over the past year’s successes and struggles, why not explore some fresh tools for classroom management next fall? Teacher educator Curtis Chandler offers some good places to start.
In the 2nd edition of Fair Isn’t Always Equal Rick Wormeli employs patience and innovation along with multiple examples across disciplines and grade levels to explain how assessment works in differentiated classrooms, writes teacher Jennifer Randall. Essential reading!
Kids are always posing questions as they grow, but research shows that when they enter school, it’s mostly teachers doing the asking. Teacher educator Molly Ness offers six ideas for promoting questioning in our classrooms and letting student curiosity drive learning.
Heart of the School / Stress Avoidance
by Rita Platt · Published 05/20/2018 · Last modified 12/12/2019
As the school year winds down and heightened emotions proliferate, it’s easy for teachers to lose their cool. Student (and parent) behavior that would have been met with patience earlier suddenly ratchets up teacher frustrations. Rita Platt shares her coping strategies – laughter included!
Assets-Based IEPs / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 05/15/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Most educators take one of two perspectives on students with disabilities, says Elizabeth Stein. They see them with deficits or with strengths and assets. In this resource-rich post, Stein makes the case for an assets-based approach to designing accommodations and the IEP.
With leadership from the Western Massachusetts Writing Project, teachers regularly share classroom stories in their local media. Offering tips and lessons learned, Kevin Hodgson shows how adding educator voices to community discussions increases understanding and support.
Close Reading the Media / Pop Culture
by Frank Baker · Published 05/07/2018 · Last modified 11/21/2019
One way to reach and connect with today’s adolescents is to bring their pop culture into the classroom. Fads and favorites can be hooks to boost media literacy – from a hip-hop song to a clip from a popular TV show, a trending commercial or snippet from a current movie.
The elements of good instruction can be found in many experiences that are already a part of daily life. NBCT Roxanna Elden suggests real-life activities that might improve teaching more than the PowerPoint-driven professional development in the auditorium.
