Heart of the School / Summer Family Contacts
by Rita Platt · Published 06/17/2018 · Last modified 11/13/2019
We work all year to build and nurture relationships with our students and families. Why stop over the summer? Rita Platt offers quick, low-stress ideas for teachers and principals to stay connected to during the summer months. Public library meetups are super simple!
Tina H. Boogren takes beginning teachers in their first years through the phases they can expect: anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation, and reflection. Teacher educator Linda Biondi finds Boogren’s recollections of her novice teaching particularly helpful.
Articles / New Teacher Advice / Teacher Self-care
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/12/2018 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Successful, career-minded teachers must learn how to juggle the demands of being in a classroom all day long and also maintaining a satisfactory personal life. Julia Thompson, author of a bestselling survival guide for first-year teachers, tells how to achieve that balance.
Future of History / New Teacher Advice / Novice History Teachers
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 06/10/2018 · Last modified 07/19/2024
When Lauren Brown left her history classroom and became a teacher educator, she always shared a page of advice when pre-service teachers finished her course. Three years after returning to middle school, Brown updates her tips with fresh insights from the front lines.
Articles / Tech for Teachers / Wide Open Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/04/2018 · Last modified 06/22/2020
GIFs are great teaching tools. The brief videos can bring out the ideas and creativity of students too. Megan Kelly shares how kids can make GIFs with a helpful tutorial and where in the curriculum they belong: ELA, science, social studies math, PE – everywhere!
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.
Science and Testing / The Science Lady
by Kathy Renfrew · Published 05/30/2018 · Last modified 11/24/2019
System leaders may say preparation for end-of-year testing is now built into everyday teaching, but science coach Kathy Renfrew still witnesses a “test prep culture” in her middle grades work. What can teachers do to stop stealing learning time for off-topic prep?
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.
Summer Slide / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 05/27/2018 · Last modified 12/01/2019
One way to counter summer slide is to provide easily accessible books. Public libraries are great but many kids can’t get to them. Valentina Gonzalez describes the challenges facing ELLs and other kids and suggests ways to make school libraries available over the break.
To reach the student who hasn’t made that essential positive connection with reading, you can do no better than apply the ideas detailed by Stephanie Harvey and Annie Ward in From Striving to Thriving. Reviewer Linda Biondi recommends having a box of tissues handy.
