Category: Articles

Digital Storytelling: An Exciting Teaching Tool!

Digital storytelling lets student writers share their own characters who come to life, engage in dialogue, and move around the setting. Best of all, it helps middle grades teachers reach all types of learners. Sam Weigle and Katie Caprino offer examples and suggested tools.

Build a Joyful Bridge to Independent Reading

Ever met a student who thrives when we are with them during reading instruction but struggles during independent reading? Meghan Duermit and Sunday Cummins recommend simple strategies like quick book talks to build a bridge to the wilder world of reading on one’s own.

Quirky Calendar Days Offer Fall Learning Fun

By linking bite-sized birthday bios and quirky facts to the daily calendar, Anne Anderson shows how we can engage minds, encourage dreams and capture curiosity. Have fun with your students while reinforcing skills and vocabulary and sharing a bit of learning they’ll love.

Historical Hypotheses Give Students Choices

Using Historical Hypotheses, teachers never tell students what to think but instead “how to better think for themselves.” When students evaluate their own initial hypothesis and closely consider multiple viewpoints, they begin to develop a growth mindset, writes Jennifer Ingold.

Helping Gen Z Students Balance Digital Life

Children are suffering more anxiety and depression, which many researchers attribute to overuse and misuse of personal devices and social media, writes author-educator Debbie Silver. Our response needs to focus not on scolding but on helping students become self-regulating.

Resources for Teaching 9/11’s 20th Anniversary

Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, it’s essential to teach students about the lives lost, the heroes who helped, and the Islamophobia that followed. To examine 9/11’s legacy and impact, middle grades teacher Kasey Short recommends key online resources and four YA novels.

4 Moves to Help Tweens Overcome Math Anxiety

Math class brings certain challenges and requires special attention when forming a community, writes middle grades teacher Mona Iehl. “Many of my students come with negative math experiences and associations. My goal is that each student feels a sense of safety and belonging.”

Bringing More Empathy into Your Classroom

Just like adults, our students will respond better when we offer an empathetic response to their situation. School psychologist Katelyn Oellerich relates the story of “Justin” as an example, highlights the Restorative Conversations process, and shares some helpful resources.

Ways We Can Spark Student Reflection

Self-evaluation does not happen magically, writes author and literacy consultant Lynne Dorfman. Students need to learn to reflect through practice. Dorfman shares some of her favorite ways to help students see the value of metacognition, goal-setting and assessing progress.

Prepping for My Next Google Classroom

Want to keep content from last year’s digital classes while at the same time close down your prior students’ access? Follow along as NBCT Kathleen Palmieri shows how she’s organizing her files and folders to prep a fresh Google Classroom space as the new school year begins.