Kids on the Cusp / Modeling Learning
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 03/26/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
As she receives the Educators’ Choice Award for her blog post “Teaching By Doing Something Meaningful” at her first national conference, Mary Tarashuk remembers Madeline Hunter’s simple wisdom and considers the teaching power that comes from writing with students.
Book Reviews / Project Based Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 03/23/2017 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Todd Stanley’s units of study address the need of today’s students both to problem solve and present findings to an audience. Jennifer Wirtz implemented a well resourced Oral Presentation unit and will use more of the easily adapted projects with her 7th graders.
Kevin Hodgson’s sixth graders experience systems thinking when they explain Rube Goldberg contraptions, design interactive stories, and diagram sports plays. Hodgson offers many examples of student work and shows how the approach addresses Common Core objectives.
Responsive Classroom’s 50 brain breaks give kids a chance to rest their brains by redirecting their minds. Some are calming, some are energizing, and all help students refocus & release stress. Quick, easy and student approved, says teacher Linda Biondi.
While reviewer Rita Platt agrees with the authors’ sincere hope that classroom redesign can strengthen learning, she finds the book falls short of being helpful to teachers in their everyday quest to make their classrooms warmer, smarter, and better.
Class Apps / Emotional Learning
by Curtis Chandler · Published 03/14/2017 · Last modified 11/15/2019
How students feel about what is being taught and what they’re being asked to do works either as a catalyst or a deterrent to learning. Curtis Chandler shares activities and digital resources to help boost engagement and achievement by ’emotionalizing’ learning.
Explaining that middle school is “the unspoken linchpin in establishing a positive trajectory for career and college success,” Principal Robert Messia shares eight tested strategies for helping students understand and begin to prepare for the possibilities ahead.
Current Events / Future of History
by Sarah Cooper · Published 03/05/2017 · Last modified 11/21/2019
Social studies teacher Sarah Cooper improved classroom conversation and debate when she let students select and then rate current events articles as “super,” “okay,” or “not that great for discussion.” Cooper shares her process and some samples from each category.
Content area teachers can access easy-to-use lessons and mentor texts to strengthen students’ writing in Nancy Steineke and Harvey “Smokey” Daniels’ resource book. Teacher Linda Biondi describes the detailed, teacher-friendly format for lessons lasting 10 to 40 minutes.
In “The Writing on the Classroom Wall” teacher Steve Wyborney shows us how to increase student ownership and motivation and help kids become life-long learners by a process of sharing and considering 24 Big Ideas. Laura Von Staden recommends the book highly.
