Brief encounters with academic vocabulary can add hundreds of words to a student’s collection every year. How to find the time for those short lessons in a busy school day? Marilee Sprenger shares ten possibilities in this guest article.
Book Reviews / Vocabulary Instruction
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/22/2014 · Last modified 11/23/2019
No matter how long or in what content area you have been helping students learn vocabulary words, reviewer Anne Anderson expects you will find Mariliee Sprenger’s Vocab Rehab a whole lot of help packed into a tightly focused book.
David Thornburg’s From the Campfire to the Holodeck is not just about blending technology into lessons; it’s about good teaching in learning environments designed for the 21st century, says reviewer Sarah Cooper. Is there a holodeck in your school’s future?
Book Reviews / Vocabulary Instruction
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/01/2014 · Last modified 12/05/2019
While introducing vocabulary takes only a few minutes, true comprehension requires time. What’s a teacher to do? Reviewer Beth Morrow suggests picking up a copy of Marilee Sprenger’s Vocab Rehab for a succinct guide to research based activities.
The 3rd edition of The Morning Meeting Book (K-8) is a well-researched, easy-to-read and ready-to-apply guide to one of the Responsive Classroom’s core strategies, says teacher Linda Biondi, who recommends it for both new & ongoing Morning Meeting practitioners.
Future of History / History & Current Events
by Sarah Cooper · Published 05/20/2014 · Last modified 04/17/2024
Middle level students want to know how their studies relate to their lives, writes teacher-author Sarah Cooper. “The history we teach reaches them best when it involves novelty, humor, meaning, a sense of self, and a connection to the real world.”
Social Media / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 05/18/2014 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Elizabeth Stein constantly searches for professional development opportunities to strengthen co-teaching. Her district offers excellent PD, and she values virtual colleagues she’s found online. Lately her favorite PD comes with her own hashtag: #coteachat.
Future of History / Teaching strategies
by Aaron Brock · Published 05/11/2014 · Last modified 11/12/2019
While inner-city history teacher Aaron Brock agrees that lecture has been chronically abused in the middle grades, he uses short flexible lectures and image-heavy slides to help prepare students for deeper learning in his diverse classroom.
In a 7th grade classroom where students are used to sharing ownership and know how to think on their feet, what does the teacher do when he asks a question and there’s absolute silence? Bill Ivey’s solution: Smile at all the parents in the room and trust the kids.
Flipped Lesson / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 05/04/2014 · Last modified 12/11/2019
When special ed teacher Elizabeth Stein worked with her science co-teacher on their first flipped lesson, one student’s response clinched the concept for them: “I just wish we had more time to be the teachers in class—I like taking charge of my own learning.”
