Podcasting is exploding, and teachers are discovering that listening to and producing podcasts are great ways to promote deeper learning. Former NPR reporter Monica Brady-Myerov shares the whys and hows of engaging kids in their own projects, with examples and resources.
Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker have added to their series of books on school culture with this practical, readable and well-researched work that speaks of the commitment to creating and sustaining a positive learning environment, writes school leader Jack Ferrante.
To foster social studies students who are more curious, collaborative and invested, Katie McGrath worked with a district team to hone essential questions and develop a process of “micro-progression” that leads each student to understanding. Steps and examples included!
Class Discussion / Heart of the School
by Rita Platt · Published 09/09/2019 · Last modified 11/27/2019
Students love to talk! And that’s mostly a good thing, if teachers can harness the natural social drive of tweens and teens “and use it to pull the wagon of content learning through whole-class discussions.” Try Rita Platt’s proven step-by-step map to discussion success.
Rita Platt’s Working Hard, Working Happy is a quick read, with many useful ideas about creating a learning culture in your classroom and school. Any teacher who wants students filled with joy and self-motivation needs to read this practical book, writes Kimberly Higgins.
Co-Teaching Teams / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 09/03/2019 · Last modified 07/19/2024
Whether you began the school year weeks ago or you’re just launching, it’s time to consider what you hold most important when you think about a successful co-teaching partnership. Elizabeth Stein shares an experience from her own career that unwrapped three essentials.
Family Engagement / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 09/02/2019 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Middle graders, especially ELs and newcomers eager to blend in, may not want to involve families at school. Yet partnering with families leads to greater achievement, lower absenteeism, and better behavior. EL expert Valentina Gonzalez shares her favorite strategies.
First Days of Math Class / Meaningful Math
by Michelle Russell · Published 09/01/2019 · Last modified 11/25/2019
From get-acquainted activities like “Superhero registration” to first-week math games like “Four Fours,” teacher Michelle Russell takes readers through the steps of a new plan to start slow, welcome her students individually, and reassure the anxious ones that math can be fun.
How We Read / Teaching with a View
by Brent Gilson · Published 08/28/2019 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Brent Gilson teaches grades 7-9 in rural Alberta. “I’m a believer in balanced literacy, voice and choice, and the need to use literacy studies to help students explore what it means to be human.” In a new blog, Brent details how these ideas shape his yearly reading plan.
Limiting feedback to final drafts means lots of teacher work and little student learning. What if, Sarah Cooper wondered, she could give students enough scaffolding – using an outline organizer and peer response – that their rough drafts included everything she wanted?
