Engagement / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 10/02/2017 · Last modified 11/13/2019
Emotions are a natural part of learning, writes co-teaching coach and NBCT Elizabeth Stein. In fact, she says, when teachers in inclusion classrooms tap into emotions and provide quality feedback, they’ll find they’re better able to serve diverse learners effectively.
Debbie Silver’s worst mistake? She managed to teach middle level science classes for too many years without ever fully embracing the practice of pre-assessment. See how her teaching changed and how yours might too with her simple go-to pre-assessment tools.
Future of History / History and Spoken Poetry
by Sarah Cooper · Published 09/24/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
History teacher Sarah Cooper is enthusiastically barreling into the year with a totally untried project. It asks eighth graders to research a current issue in the news that they’re passionate about, then write and film their own spoken word poem. What could go wrong?
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 09/21/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Debbie Silver and Dedra Stafford offer a detailed look at social-emotional learning in Teaching Kids to Thrive. Veteran teacher David Bever finds the up-to-the-minute research coupled with extensive strategies a winning combination for boosting SEL practice.
Math teacher Michelle Russell has come to believe that having students working at the whiteboard is a good teaching practice. Even so, she’s been busy exploring advantages and disadvantages via online and student research, striving to make a good practice even better.
This fall, as school districts scattered around the country are considering “no homework” policies, teacher educator Curtis Chandler looks at research on whether and how homework can support learning and suggests teaching apps to help make it short, meaningful, and accessible.
Why talk about mistakes in math class? Nancy C. Anderson has the answer in her book “What’s Right About Wrong Answers.” Resource teacher Kimberly Mueller says Anderson’s activities can help students learn how to analyze their mistakes and develop a growth mindset.
K-8 literacy coach Amber Bartlein reports The 100 Task Card series is set to become a staple in the classrooms she works with, for use during small group instruction, intervention and enrichment time, or to provide quick, focused practice on a specific literacy skill.
When low-risk, high-interest writing becomes a daily habit for all of your students, whatever your content area, they’ll discover the powerful write-think-learn connection. Teacher-author and NBCT Mary Tedrow shares her classroom-tested “daybook” method for getting started.
Jon Sapier’s High Expectations Teaching provides an overview of best practices for encouraging a growth mindset and includes scripts, links to videos, and checklists that teachers can use immediately. Educator Amy Williams finds the short book a good introduction.
