Katie Durkin has begun adding picture books and read alouds to her seventh grade classes. She finds that in units like historical fiction and social justice, they bring students a sense of nostalgia, help them grasp difficult abstract concepts, and create a shared experience.
Sparking Creativity in the World Language Classroom by veteran educators Deborah Blaz and Tom Alsop provides examples from language programs showcasing how creativity can be integrated into curricula to engage our students, writes Spanish teacher and ELM coach Melinda Stewart.
Our Making Questions Count series explores three key roles in the teacher-student learning relationship. In their final post, Jackie Walsh, Emily Brokaw and Anna Salazar describe in rich detail the Student as Collaborative Contributor, with real-world stories and resources.
Equity can be found in many places in the school – on the walls, on bookshelves, and in policies. The best place to check for equity for multilingual learners is by examining teacher and student schedules. Tan Huynh describes the practices that lead to equitable scheduling.
The world and our students are constantly changing. Adding modern connections to classic texts can engage readers by helping them relate to and understand the universal themes and messages in these works. ELA teacher Kasey Short shares examples of connection and some favorite titles.
As pre-service teachers anticipate their first classrooms, former Kansas TOY and teacher educator Curtis Chandler is ready with expert strategies to help them select the right schools and successfully complete the interview process. He stresses staying positive and being persistent.
100-Word Stories: A Short Form for Expansive Writing by Kim Culbertson and Grant Faulkner is a wonderful resource for teaching with micro texts and for helping students in levels 5-12 develop both writing and reading mastery, writes middle school ELA teacher Erin Corrigan-Smith.
Educator and author Regie Routman considers heart-centered principles that can help us go a long way to ensure that what we do and are asking our students and loved ones to do will result in personal and professional growth, gratitude, generosity, and even sparks of greatness.
What can you and your students accomplish the last few weeks of school? In this MiddleWeb resource educators share activities that align learning with fun, offer ideas for responding to stress, and suggest strategies to help sustain your classroom community.
Recognizing the gap between formal curriculum standards and the emotional and organizational hurdles of writing, Matt Renwick shares some of his ideas for student-centered strategies that acknowledge these challenges and equip students with tools they need to overcome them.
