Author and literacy consultant Regie Routman is a passionate cook who loves to make fresh fruit tarts. Here she draws connections between learning to bake and learning to teach, using her Optimal Learning Model as a framework. Fruit tart recipe included!
Future of History / Year in Review
by Jody & Shara · Published 06/14/2015 · Last modified 12/02/2019
History teacher Jody Passanisi pauses during the end-of-year whirlwind to reflect on classes that went well and teaching that will need more work. TodaysMeet and Ideapaint get a thumbs up. Student blogging will need adjustments. For now, summer PD beckons.
“The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching” by Goodwin and Hubbell is framed by a daily checklist and filled with common sense, easy-to-apply tips to grow a more demanding, supportive and intentional classroom practice, says PD consultant Anne Anderson.
Playing with Stories is THE book for those in love with stories and those who believe that we “think in story,” says reviewer, poet and retired principal Mary Langer Thompson. Author Kevin Cordi shares strategies for building stories solo, with a partner or within small groups.
Formative assessment is good practice, as every teacher knows, says tech consultant Curtis Chandler, but finding time to measure individual student understanding is challenging. Chandler offers seven apps that can make the practice both routine and engaging.
Current Events / Future of History
by Sarah Cooper · Published 05/31/2015 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Social studies teacher Sarah Cooper has found it “heartening to talk about the news every day” with history students this school year and wonders about activities that might engage next year’s kids even more deeply in the important questions facing the world.
Educators who read policy pundit Rick Hess’s new book The Cage-Busting Teacher will find plenty to disagree with, says instructional specialist Curtis Chandler, but “they will also learn quite a bit about their potential and influence as an educator.”
Although “You Can Do This” is targeted to 1st year teachers, experienced educators & new administrators can also benefit from reading about a novice teacher’s experiences through the lens of an accomplished instructional leader, says reviewer Jason Gordon.
It remains unclear to Mary Tarashuk how rampant standardized testing is actually helping her fourth graders become successful and enthusiastic learners. As she prepares for her own evaluation, Mary shares pushback from parents, students, and HBO’s John Oliver.
Op-ed columnists often spread misconceptions about STEM education, says expert Anne Jolly. An article by Fareed Zakaria claims STEM is threatening the future of liberal education, but Jolly says good STEM programs can actually address several of Zakaria’s concerns.
