Teaching and learning in grades 4-8
In their sequel to “Making Number Talks Matter,” Ruth Parker and Cathy Humphreys go deeper and include videos of real students. They thoroughly explain the how and why of Number Talks and suggest updates to their method, writes math and algebra teacher Michael Hernandez.
If you are searching for a comprehensive way to explore the complexities of climate change, address student (and popular) misconceptions and involve students in the search for solutions, you’ll want “Understanding Climate Change,” says science teacher Virginia Brackett.
A.J. Juliani discusses the way we learn, how brain connections are changing in our “connected” world, and how we can be intentional with our innovation to help students become risk takers and bring creativity to their learning, writes teacher leader Laura Von Staden.
American Indian or Native American? Latina or Latino or Latinx? African American or Black? History teacher Lauren Brown shares activities and resources she uses to help students understand the background and history of such naming choices and why it’s important to teach.
If we want our students to be readers, we have to let them read, writes principal and reading teacher Rita Platt. We have to give them time for the kind of reading that is guided by curiosity, joy, and love of story. Platt shows exactly how her school made this work.
Teachers at Pioneer Middle School were weary of their traditional one-size-fits-all summer school requiring every student to take the same classes. Learn how they’ve redesigned the program for eighth graders around specific skills that better prepare them for high school.
Over a career of teaching, mentoring and networking with novices, Barbara Blackburn has learned five key lessons about being a new teacher. Here she takes the butterflies churning in newbies’ insides and suggests ways to line them up in formation for a strong first year.
Close Reading the Media is an incredible resource for middle or high school humanities teachers teaching students how to think critically about the media, writes teacher Stephanie Leary, noting it is packed with informative, fun, and thought-provoking topics and ideas.
Danny Steele and Todd Whitaker have done an impressive job recognizing and explaining 56 Essential Truths to help teachers be the best they can be for students, writes school leader Doug Dunn. The 99-page book works as a quick read or a source for daily inspiration.
With the 2020 election underway fake news and deceptive social media posts and imagery are expected to become commonplace. Media literacy expert Frank Baker offers a lesson to help our always-connected students acquire some of the “healthy skepticism” skills they’ll need.