The authors of “Blended” clearly know their stuff, says principal/reviewer Matt Renwick, providing multiple examples of blended learning supported by technology. But Renwick questions the heavy corporate focus and one-sided citations he finds pervade the text.
Culture building is a powerful method for shaping the behavior of those who work in a school because it helps establish important values and underlying assumptions about learning. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn offer 3 tips for middle grades leaders.
Kids on the Cusp / Standardized Testing
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 02/26/2015 · Last modified 11/15/2019
Teacher Mary Tarashuk has reasserted her “Irish Zen” following the full frontal assault on PARCC testing in her last post. She describes how her fourth graders had fun learning about Chinese New Year while also practicing for the high stakes test in prescribed ways.
CommonLit.Org is a nonprofit organization building a growing collection of supplemental texts, curated by teachers, for teachers, writes founder Michelle Brown. The free and open resource is cross-curricular, organized around themes and essential questions.
Digital Citizenship / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 02/11/2015 · Last modified 11/25/2019
Kevin Hodgson’s sixth graders study digital citizenship, digital footprints and digital identity, but at an age where friendship often trumps caution, students may be less diligent than adults anticipate when it comes to sharing digital passwords.
Kids on the Cusp / Standardized Testing
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 02/11/2015 · Last modified 11/13/2019
New Jersey teacher Mary Tarashuk finds herself in a traffic-snarled “PARCCing lot” waiting for March testing madness to begin. In a new Kids on the Cusp post, she lists her concerns –including a PARCC 4th grade reading test sample that levels at Grade 9.
What makes a lesson or unit STEM-worthy? Expert Anne Jolly evaluates two actual lessons that have been given the STEM label. Each incorporates science, math, group work and technology, but one fails the ultimate STEM test. She details the reasons why in this insightful article.
Character Building / Kids on the Cusp
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 01/29/2015 · Last modified 11/27/2019
Fourth grade teacher Mary Tarashuk describes how lines from the musical In the Woods, the new Julian chapter of RJ Palacio’s Wonder, and a chance encounter with an anti-bullying article came together to spark some memorable student wisdom about character.
Helping students develop into strong writers is difficult work. Fortunately, as teacher Kevin Hodgson discovered recently, the Common Core emphasis on writing in every content area means there are many more colleagues with ideas to share.
Working to bring America’s Colonial Period to life in the classroom? Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis’ new toolkit will help history teachers engage students with primary sources, digital links and visual guides. “A gold mine!” says reviewer Linda Biondi.
