Even before you view the lessons and become acquainted with the many cross-curricular strategies the authors of Smuggling Writing share, you’ll discover a matrix that unifies the strategies, literacy strands, samples, lessons, digital applications and CCSS.
In The Gift of Failure, teacher/writer Jessica Lahey calls on parents to value failures along the way to help children build growth mindsets. She also effectively describes how educators can work with parents, reports retired principal Mary Langer Thompson.
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.
Excellent Teaching / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 03/21/2016 · Last modified 12/01/2019
During March Madness we have to ask: what can teachers learn from great coaches? Cheryl Mizerny reflects on the words of basketball coaching legends and considers how their insights carry over into classrooms and the work teachers do with their own learners.
Book Reviews / Visual & Media Literacy
by MiddleWeb · Published 03/17/2016 · Last modified 11/16/2019
Roger Essley shares an abundance of visual strategies and tools to help a wide range of middle grades students understand complex ideas in ELA, math, science and social studies. Reviewer Anne Anderson recommends his research-based, classroom tested approach.
Anne Jolly is ready to return to the classroom, so long as she can teach at Fisher Middle, a flexible facility designed to maximize student learning, with fully integrated technology, a project based STEAM curriculum; and built-in teacher collaboration and professional learning.
Effective group work sparks student engagement and builds communication skills for the future. But how do teachers structure teamwork activities so kids are cooperative and everyone learns? Instructional expert Barbara Blackburn offers a step-by-step blueprint.
Blending technology into teaching has been an ongoing and often intimidating process for Gen X’er Mary Tarashuk, but it’s also ripe with possibility. And tech PD is often opportunistic. Take Mary’s recent chat with her teen daughter while doing the dirty dishes.
Meaningful academic conversation makes for sticky learning, but most students don’t bring a high proficiency in the needed skills to the classroom. Expert Jackie Walsh describes a step-by-step process that can help teachers cultivate deep student discussions.
Laura Robb believes play is essential to success. Her “Big 10 Student Motivators” can help encourage collaboration, playful learning, innovative thinking, and student engagement in reading, writing, researching, discussing, and analyzing across all subjects.
