Mona Iehl traces her teaching growth from guiding math students through memorizing procedures to thinking deeply through productive struggle at each stage of problem solving. Over time she developed the Word Problem Workshop model she uses in her classroom and explains here.
If you want to expand your students’ modes of writing (whether or not you use writer’s workshop) Angela Stockman’s book offers great information and insight, says Megan Balduf, including the details of multimodal composition and appendices filled with powerful instruction.
How might lessons connect local history and historical fiction? Katie Durkin and her 7th grade team are partnering with the Wilton CT historical society to engage students in a project that raises awareness about how fiction writers use history to tell authentic stories.
Sara Kugler’s Better Book Clubs offers teachers a valuable resource that supports authenticity and independence in book clubs, helping students deepen comprehension and elevate their conversation. Anne Anderson outlines the book’s take on scaffolding, grouping, and more.
Find out how adopting a lawyer mindset can help all students develop critical thinking skills and dispositions in Thinking Like a Lawyer by Colin Seale. NBCT Kim Rensch likes that the book is a quick read and offers reasonable ways to integrate thinking skills with curricula.
What do your students believe about learning? Beliefs affect behaviors, and their perspective on failure is decisive. Teaching coach Barbara Blackburn examines 3 beliefs that impact the ability to learn and offers strategies to help students focus on growth.
The 2nd edition of Jenny Rankin’s First Aid for Teacher Burnout offers “realistic strategies teachers can apply to alleviate the major burnout-inducing problems and find sustainable success at work.” Reviewer Anne Anderson shares Rankin’s ways to recognize burnout and respond.
We’ve accomplished so much this year and we still have another big stretch to conquer, write teachers Maggie and Piers Blyth. We’ve reached the peak – we’re ready for the downhill race. It’s important to chart our path and stay alert for the obstacles and opportunities ahead.
Is bullying in schools a social pandemic we need to take more seriously? Middle grades teacher Laleh Ghotbi makes a compelling case that educators and parents can do more to protect students being harmed by religious, cultural, racial and gender prejudice and animosity.
Intentionally introducing humor, curiosity, enthusiasm, and optimism into each class is a low-tech, high-impact method to build resilience and attention. Stephanie Farley shares ways she’s engaged middle schoolers with elements like (live!) rolling mice and kid-made symbols.
