Book Reviews / Common Core State Standards
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/16/2013 · Last modified 11/16/2019
In Big Skills for the Common Core: Literacy Strategies for the 6 -12 Classroom, Amy Benjamin & Michael Hugelmeyer provide Common Core literacy strategies with easy-to-use charts & guides for 6-12 students, say a pair of MiddleWeb reviewers.
In Mentoring and Coaching Tips: How Educators Can Help Each Other, reviewer Jenni Miller reports that Sheryn Waterman writes in helpful ways about how educators can support new teachers and others through effective mentoring and coaching.
Elisa Waingort found valuable ideas in this book from the “PLC at Work” series but objected to the intense focus on assessment-driven school improvement.
Cemeteries: Alive with Learning, Barbara Kissling’s short book describing a PBL experience focused on old cemeteries, is a unique idea sure to engage middle schoolers, says reviewer Carolyn Baker.
Book Reviews / Vocabulary Instruction
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/09/2013 · Last modified 02/03/2024
In addition to its comprehensive, CCSS-friendly approach to integrating vocabulary lessons into literacy curriculum, Word Nerds: Teaching All Students to Learn and Love Vocabulary is also fun for students, says reviewer Linda Biondi.
Any leader who believes that school culture is an important topic to pursue will find Building a Culture of Support: Strategies for School Leaders to be a crucial tool, says reviewer Geralyn Schmidt.
Using “‘brain breaks” in class has helped students stay fresh, says reviewer Linda Biondi. Using the strategies recommended in Energizing Brain Breaks gets students moving, laughing, & challenging themselves.
Research reports a strong link between trust in schools & student achievement. The Trust Factor: Strategies for School Leaders can help leaders boost the trust factor, says reviewer James Jordan.
Book Reviews / Common Core State Standards / ELA & Literacy
by MiddleWeb · Published 06/02/2013 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Reviewer Anne Anderson recommends 20 Literacy Strategies to Meet the Common Core for its research-based strategies designed to grow readers & thinkers within a CCSS framework. The payoff will justify the necessary time investment, she says.
Digital Storytelling: Guide for Educators from 2010 can help teachers start to explore digital storytelling as a powerful instructional strategy, says teacher-reviewer Kevin Hodgson.
