This guide is a great tool for any educator, school district, or higher education institution, writes Dr. Charice Hayes. The book involves the reader in defining effective ongoing assessment and includes tools to observe how other colleagues use formative assessment.
Class Apps / Reciprocal Teaching
by Curtis Chandler · Published 07/15/2018 · Last modified 12/05/2019
Reciprocal teaching (RT) helps students deepen their learning by teaching other students. Curtis Chandler shows how kiddos can tackle new texts and concepts by developing their ability to apply cognitive and metacognitive strategies. He includes helpful videos and online tools.
Glen Pearsall’s Fast and Effective Assessment focuses on making life easier for teachers while improving students’ learning and understanding, writes consultant Anne Anderson. Pearsall includes lots of ideas and efficient tools to create feedback that benefits students.
After considering his early years as an English teacher, looking at research and talking with teachers and administrators, teacher educator Sean Ruday shares four recommendations to help new ELA teachers’ first years in the classroom be as successful as possible.
Alexis Wiggins has taken a 1930s Socratic discussion strategy and enriched it to provide more detail about process, assessment and self-reflection. Teacher Joanne Bell finds Wiggins’ Spider Web technique a useful tool to develop learners ready for 21st century employment.
The strength of John Strebe’s book is that it offers practical solutions for teachers who want to better engage, allow for a collaborative culture, include student voice, and deepen student content knowledge. Rita Platt expects most will find his enthusiasm contagious.
Middle graders are unique, often unpredictable writers who are thirsty to refine their own personal voice. To help them succeed, literacy consultant Patty McGee recommends offering adolescent writers individual feedback that is present, empathetic, and choice-filled.
In Gallup surveys, students report increasing levels of classroom boredom, topping out in high school. How do teachers counter the trend? Harris and Bradshaw offer strategies in their 2nd book on Battling Boredom. Rita Platt finds lots to use with her own students.
Book Reviews / Project Based Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/12/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Hacking Project Based Learning is a rich resource for teachers and administrators who want to begin implementing project-oriented inquiry learning, says PBL teacher Sandy Wisneski. She appreciates the strong emphasis on student ownership in each of the book’s 10 hacks.
Engagement / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 10/02/2017 · Last modified 11/13/2019
Emotions are a natural part of learning, writes co-teaching coach and NBCT Elizabeth Stein. In fact, she says, when teachers in inclusion classrooms tap into emotions and provide quality feedback, they’ll find they’re better able to serve diverse learners effectively.
