Like superheroes, every teacher has an origin story that imbues them with powers, prowess and, most important, purpose. Reminding ourselves not only why but HOW we came to be teachers can help us better see the struggles and potential of our students, writes Dr. Daniel Bergman.
School is a naturally stress inducing place for many students, so working to alleviate those feelings will only make our classrooms happier and more productive. Educator Stephanie Choate writes that Martha Kaufeldt’s De-Stress the Test helps with test anxiety and much more.
When we give students time to read a book they’ve chosen, time to practice skills and strategies they’ve been taught, time to read for pleasure and intellectual growth, time to talk about what they’ve read, they build reading stamina and endurance, write Dorfman and Krupp.
Patty McGee invites teachers to infuse some “Harry Styles magic” into social-emotional learning. In countless ways, Styles’ lyrics can be surprisingly fun and effective to build emotional IQ, acting as springboards for exploring and learning about our emotional landscape.
Reviewer Kathleen Palmieri says her 5th graders are already having race conversations socially. The guidance in We’re Gonna Keep On Talking can help elementary teachers build community and help students discuss race as it has affected life and culture in the past and today.
In Changing Curriculum through Stories: Character Education for Ages 10-12 Marc Levitt shows how personal stories, folktales and fairytales can act as catalysts for reflection and deeper comprehension. Dr. Kevin D. Cordi finds his notes to teachers and students quite helpful.
What teachers do the first weeks of school has a dramatic effect on student engagement and achievement the rest of the year. Building a classroom culture of learning and questioning – co-created with students – paves the road to success. Jackie Walsh and colleagues show us how.
To help long-term English learners meet reading comprehension challenges, language specialist Tan Huynh shares strategies to use before reading, during reading, and after reading so that multilinguals have the scaffolding they need to read grade-level texts with understanding.
In Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students Todd Stanley breaks down what PBL is and how to effectively implement it in almost any academic setting. It’s an ideal resource for those new to PBL or interested in reviewing its key aspects, says teacher Erin Corrigan-Smith.
How is teaching like marketing? In student-centered classrooms, relatable lessons motivate students because they connect and have emotional appeal, writes teacher and former marketer Kelly Owens. In turn, engagement leads to purposeful work, supporting more on-task behaviors.
