Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/27/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Carla Tantillo Philibert’s Everyday SEL in Middle School gives SEL implementation guidelines and brief lessons to help educators in classrooms and schoolwide meet their students’ social and emotional needs, says former teacher/now principal Tonya Curt-Hoard.
What sets this book apart from many other professional books is that it not only gives a rational for using its strategies, it explicitly offers step-by-step instructions on how to unlock elusive teaching dilemmas. Janice Rustico recommends it to literacy leaders.
The free education site CommonLit has created nearly 1000 document-based lesson plans and a growing collection of differentiated nonfiction text sets. Rob Fleisher, the non-profit’s director of school partnerships, shares some creative ways to tap these rich resources.
Children's Books / The Science Lady
by Kathy Renfrew · Published 07/24/2017 · Last modified 11/27/2019
Kathy Renfrew, The Science Lady, is launching a new science blog at MiddleWeb. In her first entry she shares some favorite selections from the National Science Teacher Association’s Outstanding Books collection and how they might be used to begin the school year.
This year Curtis Chandler’s son set a new one-week record for announcing he was bored by summer. How do we encourage kids to take a break from school, but not from learning? Chandler shares online resources across subject areas to spur some vigorous brain activity.
Book Reviews / Professional Development
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/06/2017 · Last modified 02/03/2019
The High-Trust Classroom by Lonnie Moore is a step-by-step guide to personal and professional fulfillment, says educator Laura Von Staden, adding the book is a quick read, broken into easy chunks that lay out each of the 25 essential qualities of great teachers.
Laurie Lichtenstein can’t let the school year end without thanking Lin Miranda’s Alexander Hamilton for his profound effect on her 7th grade American history class. Her open letter to the Founding Father shares her students’ new excitement for history’s unfolding drama.
Close Reading the Media / Visual Literacy
by Frank Baker · Published 06/27/2017 · Last modified 12/12/2019
If your students think a photo can’t change history, have them think again, with this resource-rich article from media literacy expert Frank W. Baker, drawing on the work of civil rights era photojournalist Charles Moore, whose iconic images still haunt us today.
Physical ed teacher and coach Kelly Lang finds Kirt Manecke’s Smile & Succeed for Teens a teen-friendly guide offering tips and techniques that they can use to develop their social skills, make positive first impressions, and strengthen their job searches.
Do teachers always need to be the tour guide and plan every step of the learning journey? Consultant Gravity Goldberg believes teachers can also be co-explorers and create opportunities for students to make their own discoveries. Her sample reading unit shows how.
