Book Reviews / Professional Development
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/06/2017 · Last modified 02/03/2019
The High-Trust Classroom by Lonnie Moore is a step-by-step guide to personal and professional fulfillment, says educator Laura Von Staden, adding the book is a quick read, broken into easy chunks that lay out each of the 25 essential qualities of great teachers.
Laurie Lichtenstein can’t let the school year end without thanking Lin Miranda’s Alexander Hamilton for his profound effect on her 7th grade American history class. Her open letter to the Founding Father shares her students’ new excitement for history’s unfolding drama.
Close Reading the Media / Visual Literacy
by Frank Baker · Published 06/27/2017 · Last modified 12/12/2019
If your students think a photo can’t change history, have them think again, with this resource-rich article from media literacy expert Frank W. Baker, drawing on the work of civil rights era photojournalist Charles Moore, whose iconic images still haunt us today.
Physical ed teacher and coach Kelly Lang finds Kirt Manecke’s Smile & Succeed for Teens a teen-friendly guide offering tips and techniques that they can use to develop their social skills, make positive first impressions, and strengthen their job searches.
Do teachers always need to be the tour guide and plan every step of the learning journey? Consultant Gravity Goldberg believes teachers can also be co-explorers and create opportunities for students to make their own discoveries. Her sample reading unit shows how.
In an era of fake news and “alternate facts” how do we teach kids to read responsibly? Respected literacy authors Kylene Beers and Robert Probst share three Big Questions that students can use to anchor themselves as they examine nonfiction and their own values.
Quality Questioning Can Help Us Transform Our Classrooms provides a detailed guide for fashioning quality questions and asking them in ways to encourage student learning. Instructional Partner Debby Smith says new and veteran teachers will want to keep it at hand.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Social-Emotional Learning
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 06/04/2017 · Last modified 11/25/2019
With so much focus on high stakes testing, teachers recognize their students are at risk of not gaining the “soft skills” they need to succeed in school and life. Cheryl Mizerny shares her do-it-yourself solution: easy to use activities she blends into her curriculum.
Teachers at Florence (AL) Middle School use common planning time to discuss many instructional strategies. Once a month they look at student work together, across grades and subjects. Here, instructional coach Jill Edwards shares six video clips and related resources.
Reading Nancie Atwell and Anne Atwell Merkel’s The Reading Zone, 2nd edition, is like getting a letter from a good friend and mentor, says ELA teacher Amy Matthes. Find reading workshop case studies to help readers become passionate, skilled, and habitual.
