Thanks to Literacy and Learning Centers for the Big Kids, secondary teachers across the content areas won’t need to tweak elementary guides and hope things work with older kids. Instructional coach Janice Rustico finds the start-to-finish help just what her teachers need.
How can history students use resource books more effectively in their research papers? Taking a cue from a staff meeting, Sarah Cooper devised a handout to help 8th graders quickly scope out a nonfiction book and find stories and quotes to enliven their papers. It worked!
Grading Practices / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 06/17/2019 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Even if we don’t yet teach in a grade-less utopia, there are steps teachers can take to become more accurate and equitable in our grading policies. Cheryl Mizerny shares steps toward fairer grading: eliminate zeroes, avoid extra points, don’t grade homework, and more.
In a new edition of Teaching What Really Happened, Loewen moves beyond textbook distortions of historical facts and calls for teaching unvarnished history to educate “critical citizens.” History educator Michael DiClemente highlights insights all K-12 teachers can use.
Discover the potential of writing workshop to welcome students into engaging and productive writing practice in Shubitz and Dorfman’s Welcome to Writing Workshop. You’ll find all your questions about writing workshop answered, promises teacher educator Linda Biondi.
Book Reviews / Student Driven Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/06/2019 · Last modified 11/19/2019
In this fun and easy-to-read book John Spencer and AJ Juliani guide readers through the steps to move students from compliance to empowerment, writes Laura Von Staden. The authors are realistic about possible obstacles and offer remedies. Be sure to read the Foreword!
Christopher Danielson takes kids, tweens and teens on a journey of exploration as they think about and interact with math in new ways. Based in his research and teaching, How Many? helps students see far beyond simple responses and think creatively, writes Linda Biondi.
I Will Screw This Up / Teaching Current Events
by Dina Strasser · Published 06/04/2019 · Last modified 04/18/2024
Finding the rationale to bring news discussions into class can be tricky. Veteran teacher and current events advocate Dina Strasser shares her strategy – double dipping. Here’s how to have “productively messy” conversations in 5-10 minutes without losing curriculum focus.
As you relax into summer break, keep an eye on what’s up with STEM learning. Expert Anne Jolly shares resources for keeping up with STEM news and lesson ideas as you reflect on what worked (and didn’t) last year and consider how to amp things up for next fall’s students.
What a difference a year makes! Rita Platt reflects on takeaways from her first year as a principal with observations that may buoy other new and aspiring school leaders: avoid your office, encourage laughter, recognize that all staffers play essential roles, and much more.
