Teaching and learning in grades 4-8
Ready to power up your STEM instruction? STEM by Design blogger Anne Jolly will get you up to date with a collection of her posts on NGSS, Career and Tech Ed, math in STEM, and assessment insights. Joining her are veteran educators Marsha Ratzel and Susan Pruet.
Communication is the oxygen in the room when we want any relationship to work. But communication and co-teaching can be a tricky business. Elizabeth Stein looks at surefire ways to make your co-communications work as you speak up for all the students.
School and student data can be confusing and challenging to collect and use effectively. Ronald Williamson and Barbara Blackburn offer a four-step process to help educators and administrators collect and analyze data and support better teaching and student learning.
Most educators who teach propaganda use examples from the World Wars, says media literacy expert Frank Baker. “But propaganda is happening today—all around us.” Baker introduces a new resource that can help teachers and students exert their “minds over media.”
Steven W. Anderson’s brief book is filled with resources and links to help teachers and students find, evaluate, save and share valuable materials amid all the options. He details the use of Evernote, Diigo, and Pocket, says reviewer Laura Von Staden.
Emphasizing that the most productive form of formative assessment is self-assessment by students and teachers, the authors apply these research-based ideas to the cultural change required to improve instruction at a school level, says administrator Brian Taylor.
Long-time middle grades teacher Mark Overmeyer brings his techniques for successful student writing conferences – one-on-one, peer, and small-group – to “Let’s Talk.” Drawing on the modeling Overmeyer provides, Tyler McBride plans to launch regular conferences this fall.
For years Mary Tarashuk engaged her students in a rule-making exercise that felt democratic but produced her desired outcomes. Now her strategy is to help kids think more deeply about respect and have them use their insights to guide the classroom community.
After 20+ years of teaching, Cheryl Mizerny knows middle school is where she’s meant to be. In her first post at “It’s Not Easy Being Tween” Mizerny shares six aspects of young adolescents that make middle-level teaching the toughest job she’s ever loved.
Wondering how – with enough learning time – she could reach individual 8th grade U.S. history students where they are “most curious & invested,” teacher Sarah Cooper considers the breadth of current events resources and connections she could suggest.