The Common Core expects students will support claims with evidence from a text. History teacher Aaron Brock shares an innovative technique he created to help weak readers in his under-resourced urban school develop an understanding of this process.
Articles / Teaching the Whole Adolescent
by MiddleWeb · Published 12/28/2014 · Last modified 07/14/2024
Middle school students are a unique breed, says educator and consultant Jennifer Gonzalez, and they need teachers who are tuned in to the intense dichotomies of adolescent life and learning. She offers teachers new to the middle level eight helpful tips.
With listening now included among the CCSS anchor skills, how can educators help students become more adept at tuning in? Veteran public radio reporter Monica Brady-Myerov heads Listen Current, a service offering teachers free content and lessons plans.
Student disengagement is a major challenge for middle school teachers, says NSF-funded researcher Jennifer A. Fredricks, who offers strategies to build community and craft learning opportunities that encourage students to actively participate and succeed.
The Co-Teaching Relationship / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 12/08/2014 · Last modified 11/26/2019
Have you ever been told that teachers in co-taught classrooms shouldn’t be distinguishable? Special educator Elizabeth Stein never felt comfortable with that concept, and a recent workshop with co-teaching expert Marilyn Friend helped her understand why.
Exploring History / Kids on the Cusp
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 12/04/2014 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Teaching students to “think like historians” begins with making connections between past and present, says teacher Mary Tarashuk. As her 4th graders begin the Age of Exploration, she calls on a Tai Chi parent-expert to help bridge ancient and modern times.
Future of History / Parody for Synthesis
by Jody & Shara · Published 11/02/2014 · Last modified 11/26/2019
After watching a music video parody by history educator Mr. Betts, Jody Passanisi’s 8th graders begged to create their own parodies using American History topics. The resulting lyrics effectively synthesized the content and ideas they were studying.
STEM & Disadvantaged Students / STEM By Design
by Anne Jolly · Published 10/26/2014 · Last modified 11/26/2019
Disadvantaged students and minorities face battles on many fronts. Access to STEM education should not be one of them. Anne Jolly describes the problem, the students’ proven potential, and what she believes is needed to create equitable access.
In “Grammar Matters,” Lynne Dorfman and Diane Dougherty make the case for embedding grammar in Writing Workshop and across the curriculum. Our reviewer recommends this hands-on exploration of mentor texts and engaging instruction and its many useful resources.
Reading comprehension is a primary goal in Aaron Brock’s middle school history classroom. Building on last year’s annotation experiments, Brock has adapted the familiar 5 W’s strategy to help students pay closer attention to the meaning behind the words. It’s working.
