Rosalind Wiseman’s Owning Up takes on the ambitious task of talking to middle schoolers about some of the complex social situations adolescents encounter. Maeghan Warburton recommends the 17 flexible lessons addressing bullying, social cruelty, and injustice.
Change Agents / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 03/28/2017 · Last modified 12/05/2019
Elizabeth Stein calls on co-teachers to create powerful ripple effects throughout the nation’s classrooms with positive actions aimed at strengthening inclusion and every student’s sense of achieving their best. She offers six jumping-off places to start the wave.
In “Read Talk Write” Laura Robb provides strategies that can grow students’ ability to have rich, accountable conversations, leading to productive, engaging writing. Reviewer Linda Biondi especially appreciates the mentor texts, detailed lessons, and reproducibles.
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.
Articles / Book Reviews / Reading / Whole Novels
by MiddleWeb · Published 03/16/2017 · Last modified 07/07/2024
Ariel Sacks’ Whole Novels for the Whole Class is “the ultimate teacher-friendly manual for accommodating all students around a single book,” says ELA veteran Mary Tedrow, who finds Sacks’ practical specificity convincing and her confidence infectious.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Teacher Collaboration
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 03/12/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Noting the barrage of criticism educators face from beyond the classroom, Cheryl Mizerny recommends that teachers across the generations unite to build the profession through full collaboration, rejecting the current widespread stereotyping of rookies and veterans.
Tracking progress toward a larger goal helps us build a sense of achievement and the courage to keep going. “That’s the same cycle you want to build in your students,” says Barbara Blackburn, who shares ways to help kids see their growth and recall their victories.
Bryan Goodwin & Elizabeth Ross Hubbell make a compelling argument that teachers can improve their impact on student learning by using a “do-confirm” checklist based on 12 essential daily touchstones that represent current research on what works best. Pilots do!
Students who feel a strong connection to their classmates and teachers are much more likely to persist and achieve shared goals, learn respect, and develop communication skills. Teaching expert Julia Thompson offers strategies to help build positive communities.
When students struggle to write coherent essays or can’t explain their evidence well enough, it often boils down to this: they need help learning to build strong paragraphs. Literacy expert Sarah Tantillo takes us step by step through her construction process.
