STEM By Design / STEM Teacher Development
by Anne Jolly · Published 02/28/2016 · Last modified 12/01/2019
How should the next generation of STEM teachers be prepared? Anne Jolly reports on the innovative UABTeach program at the University of Alabama Birmingham where undergrads can earn full teacher certification plus a math, science or engineering degree. What’s your superpower?
Book Reviews / Student Driven Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 02/25/2016 · Last modified 11/29/2019
Every time Elisa Waingort opens Leaders of Their Own Learning, she finds another simple but brilliant suggestion to improve her teaching and the learning of her students. She recommends repeated reading of this fully resourced guide to student-driven learning and assessment.
As the 2016 Presidential Campaign heats up, media literacy expert Frank W. Baker brings the political races to the classroom with standards-based activities to help students understand the persuasive power of plentiful and often misleading political ads.
Current Events / Future of History
by Sarah Cooper · Published 02/15/2016 · Last modified 12/02/2019
Sarah Cooper’s 8th graders recently attempted to create a “consensus document” on U.S. gun laws. She describes the research and discussion process, then shares what she and the students learned about consensus building when issues are highly controversial.
Rubrics are important tools, says author and veteran MS educator Elyse Scott, but teachers need a more whole-student approach to formative assessment and feedback — one that attends “to that most basic need of young adolescents: one-on-one communication.”
Remember AAA’s Triptiks – the travel resource kits put together for members? If so, you have some inkling of consultant Mike Fisher’s idea to rev up mid-grades curriculum across content areas by having students create their own project-specific learning journeys.
Frank Buck is back with Part Two in his series for school leaders on developing a digital productivity suite. Keeping up with plans on a digital calendar or a smartphone Notes app is frustrating. Buck outlines what a full featured task app needs to do and suggests a free option.
In “Standing in the Gap” Lisa Dabbs and Nicol R. Howard encourage all educators, especially new teachers, to find support by connecting on social media, using internet resources in class, and facilitating e-communication with parents. A must read, says educator/writer Mary Langer Thompson.
Conferences are valuable ways to grow professionally. Consultant Anne Anderson, who attended many such events as a teacher, shares ideas for getting buy-in and funding, prepping for the trip, getting the most from talks and exhibits, and bringing it all home.
Kids on the Cusp / Making Connections
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 01/13/2016 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Students need some dangling carrots, not to trick them but inspire them. Trying to get to the root of each individual learner, digging deeper in an effort to recognize each unique person’s contributions to the classroom, help build Mary Tarashuk’s Carrot Community.
