High School Preparation / The Flexible Classroom
by Amber Chandler · Published 12/26/2017 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Amber Chandler envisions her middle schoolers as cupcakes in the making as she considers the need for teachers to support each other from elementary through graduation. Read about ways she’s strengthened her unit on The Giver to emphasize high school writing skills.
How do your students react when you ask them to work together in groups? Cheers or groans? Teacherpreneur and author Patrice Palmer shares strategies to plan ahead and avoid group project pitfalls and to help students see the benefits of working with each other.
Being Culturally Responsive / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 09/12/2017 · Last modified 11/22/2019
Texas professional learning leader Valentina Gonzalez launches her new MiddleWeb blog, The UnStoppable ELL Teacher, with a look at Culturally Responsive Teaching – what it means and why it’s essential to helping English language learners succeed in American classrooms.
It's Not Easy Being Tween / Social-Emotional Learning
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 06/04/2017 · Last modified 11/25/2019
With so much focus on high stakes testing, teachers recognize their students are at risk of not gaining the “soft skills” they need to succeed in school and life. Cheryl Mizerny shares her do-it-yourself solution: easy to use activities she blends into her curriculum.
Students who feel a strong connection to their classmates and teachers are much more likely to persist and achieve shared goals, learn respect, and develop communication skills. Teaching expert Julia Thompson offers strategies to help build positive communities.
Classroom Routines / It's Not Easy Being Tween / New Teacher Advice
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 10/04/2015 · Last modified 12/10/2019
By staying true to your personality and developing routines that proactively eliminate your sources of stress, you and your students will have a happier, more productive year. Cheryl Mizerny shares some favorite procedures that work in her tween classroom.
ELL Immersion for Teachers / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 02/24/2015 · Last modified 11/28/2019
Has your state added a course on English Language Sheltered Immersion to recertification requirements? Kevin Hodgson’s has. He shares his Top Lessons Learned, including “there is no one type of ELL student – each student comes with unique strengths & challenges.”
Writing Pathways: Performance Assessments and Learning Progressions can help K-8 educators at the grade, school and district levels develop effective collaborative writing programs, says reviewer Linda Biondi. Teachers will find extensive resources to build student ownership of writing.
In his final article on smart homework, middle grades teaching expert Rick Wormeli suggests ways to assess take-home assignments and manage the steady flow of “product” that homework requirements generate. Bonus idea: Homework extension certificates.
Homework can be one of the most renewing and exciting aspects of teaching middle school, says teaching expert Rick Wormeli, but we have to be smart about its structure, assignment, and assessment. Included: Ideas to make homework more engaging.
