Future of History / Project Based Learning
by Jody & Shara · Published 03/22/2016 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Project-based learning in history class can be challenging as teachers juggle a content-laden curriculum and limited class time. Shara and Jody and their tech colleague Doug Hinko set out to find practical ways to make PBL work with a unit on medieval China.
Hands-on learning can spark students’ imagination when school moves outdoors. It can also increase engagement & improve academic performance. Teachers and administrators from coast to coast are finding ways to open doors to Nature.
Spring’s promise of renewal is just ahead. But for many educators, spring is also the season of testing anxiety. Curtis Chandler shares research and wisdom from fellow educators that can help turn angst into achievement for students and for their teachers.
Being a school leader is incredibly demanding, requiring principals to stay current on education trends while managing day to day operations. Williamson and Blackburn share five actionable trends they’ve observed in their work with middle grades leaders.
Genius Hour gives students the opportunity to be autonomous in their learning. Sometimes, though, they need a little start-up help. Experts Gallit Zvi and Denise Krebs share lots of starter ideas for students and classrooms and urge readers to add their own.
Rubrics are important tools, says author and veteran MS educator Elyse Scott, but teachers need a more whole-student approach to formative assessment and feedback — one that attends “to that most basic need of young adolescents: one-on-one communication.”
Remember AAA’s Triptiks – the travel resource kits put together for members? If so, you have some inkling of consultant Mike Fisher’s idea to rev up mid-grades curriculum across content areas by having students create their own project-specific learning journeys.
Articles / Writing across Content Areas
by MiddleWeb · Published 01/25/2016 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Four educators explain how the Western Massachusetts Writing Project joined forces with the National Park Service to help middle school teachers and students explore and write about a major history resource right in their backyard – the Springfield Armory museum. DIY tips included!
Gary McGuey and Lonnie Moore augment their concisely presented steps to becoming an inspirational teacher with reflection prompts, questionnaires, and vignettes. Somewhat to her surprise, veteran educator Nancy Chodoroff found herself nodding in agreement throughout the book.
STEM expert Anne Jolly takes a close look at the many well-funded STEM components found in ESSA, the new federal education act, and urges educators to remain true to the project learning and engineering elements that characterize authentic STEM curriculum.
