Author: MiddleWeb

Advanced Strategies Can Help Kids Become Wild Readers

Donalyn Miller’s Reading in the Wild is a great workshop-focused resource for any ELA teacher who wants to cultivate lifelong reading habits and is “looking for a viable alternative to traditional instruction,” says teacher-reviewer Tyler McBride.

Understanding Student Thinking in Math

Cheryl Rose Tobey and Emily R. Fagan offer a detailed handbook to help teachers evaluate students’ understanding of math in their new book, Uncovering Student Thinking About Mathematics and the Common Core (Grades 3-5), says reviewer Linda Biondi.

Using Classroom Assessment Data to Target Instruction

In The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Jennifer Serravallo provides a step-by-step approach to analyze the data that teachers already have to help them find ways to meet the needs of their students by finding their strengths and weaknesses, says reviewer Casey Gilewski.

Literacy Principles Worth Fighting For

Thomas Newkirk urges us to consider how, in a test-crazed culture, we can stay focused on what matters for our students. Holding On To Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones is not a literacy ‘how-to’ book, says Jenni Miller, but important nonetheless.

How to Help Students Brainstorm an Essay

An essay without a thesis might have great ideas in it, but absent an organizing principle it doesn’t hold together. Literacy expert Sarah Tantillo shares tools for thesis brainstorming & organizing that can save students and teachers time and pain.

Polarity Thinking in Our Schools

Though the author tackles many reform issues and includes significant research, reviewer Emily Barksdale found Unleashing the Positive Power of Differences: Polarity Thinking in Our Schools both too broad and too dense to help teacher leaders.

The 5 Rules of Student Engagement

Teachers who fail to actively involve students in learning experiences are mired in mediocrity, says educator Barbara Blackburn. The author of Rigor Is Not a 4-Letter Word shares five rules for student engagement she’s discovered, with examples from her own teaching and consulting.

History vs. Hollywood: Who Gets the Story Right?

Numerous historical adaptions have been nominated for Academy Awards in recent years. Media literacy expert Frank W. Baker offers ideas and resources to help students examine their historical accuracy and address a middle-level Common Core standard.