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.
Reading / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 12/02/2018 · Last modified 11/27/2019
Whether a student is an English learners or native English speaker, the strategies EL specialist Valentina Gonzalez offers will provide support for middle graders who are struggling to read text on grade level. Insight: Often we must help unlock the new language.
Learning to decode visuals and graphics is an essential skill for everyone, but most especially for visual-spatial learners, which includes most ADHD students. Susan Daniels’ book provides essential explanations and many teaching resources for K-8, says educator Joanne Bell.
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.
Make the most of those minutes of fragmented class time that testing schedules, assemblies and pre-holiday half-days can create. Megan Kelly shares some of her own cross-curricular ideas to promote fun and active learning whether you have five minutes or five hours to fill.
Executive Function / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 11/19/2018 · Last modified 02/17/2024
Drawing on her special education background, ELA teacher Cheryl Mizerny works to build kids’ executive function skills. Here she offers techniques to help strengthen what she considers the most crucial skills for middle schoolers: task initiation, organization, and time management.
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.
