Nonfiction Texts / Wide Open Learning
by Megan Kelly · Published 12/18/2018 · Last modified 11/21/2019
Students getting a bit bored with your classroom library? The return from winter break is a perfect time for a “refresh,” says teacher Megan Kelly. She stretches her dollars by purchasing nonfiction books with broad appeal. Here are a few of her cross-content favorites.
It’s true. Teachers in K-6 need to prepare students for STEM and engineering careers that don’t exist yet. The solution? Focus on gifting our younger students with a broad range of inquiry experiences and collaborative know-how, writes STEM education expert Anne Jolly.
What improves achievement by an average 11 percent, increases appropriate social behavior, improves students’ attitudes, and reduces stress? Social Emotional Learning. Author-educator Marilee Sprenger shares brain-wise strategies to blend SEL into your everyday practice.
Reading “Not Light, But Fire” inspired Sarah Cooper to change the way she frames conversations about current events and history – which very often involve race, ethnicity, religion, politics and other incendiary topics – to build understanding, not emotion.
Assessing Reading / Create Compose Connect
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 12/04/2018 · Last modified 11/27/2019
We want to help our students discover the joys of reading, writes 7th grade ELA teacher Jeremy Hyler. We also need to track their progress as readers. Check out some ways that Hyler assesses reading without committing “readicide,” using book websites, trailers and more.
The use of open-ended, visual tasks is a very non-traditional way of teaching and learning math. But its potential for expanding students’ mathematical creativity and understanding makes it well worth exploring! Math education consultant Jerry Burkhart shares examples.
As someone who teaches media literacy and popular culture, Frank Baker understands the need to meet students where they are. We know they watch TV and they discuss the characters, plots, etc. While they’re engaged, why not raise their awareness about TV commercialism?
How can we talk about giving students voice without thinking about oral communication? That’s the most important way humans express opinions and share knowledge, says veteran teacher-consultant Erik Palmer. Learn why he believes all students can become better speakers.
Make the most of those minutes of fragmented class time that testing schedules, assemblies and pre-holiday half-days can create. Megan Kelly shares some of her own cross-curricular ideas to promote fun and active learning whether you have five minutes or five hours to fill.
When it comes giving students feedback, our approach can be formal or informal, low-tech or high-tech, writes teacher educator Curtis Chandler. The important thing is that we are constantly observing and offering guidance. As always, Curtis shares lots of practical tips.
