Brain Breaks / New Teacher Tips
by Curtis Chandler · Published 02/11/2024 · Last modified 02/21/2024
Brain breaks are simple transitional physical and mental exercises to prevent learning fatigue, refocus the attention of the class, and keep students energized and receptive to learning. Curtis Chandler shares 24 break ideas to ease stress and help kids connect with each other.
History & social studies / Resources
by Susan Curtis · Published 02/10/2024 · Last modified 02/21/2024
African Americans faced severe repression when Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week in 1926. In this updated MiddleWeb resource, we share links that trace the impact of African Americans in politics, arts and sciences, and report on the call to teach Black history throughout the school year.
Arab American Heritage Month / Resources
by Susan Curtis · Published 02/09/2024 · Last modified 03/18/2024
During Arab American Heritage Month students explore the diversity within the Arab community, its members’ contributions to the United States, and the discrimination many Arab Americans have faced in the 21st century. This resource collection can help with the exploration.
Eric Saunders provides well-researched neuroscience tips on spaced repetition, interleaving, and retrieval that can quickly advance student learning, says NBCT Megan Balduf. Use “Stick the Learning” to craft brain-savvy curricular experiences and scaffold their implementation.
When teachers effectively implement feedback to make success visible to students, achievement increases and stronger relationships result. Educator and author Miriam Plotinsky suggests having a clear, written set of expectations for assignments and avoiding the “feedback hole.“
To reduce confusion, math professor Dan Ilaria recommends: Stop saying “cancel” and use “name the operation.” Stop saying “plug in” and use “substitute.” Stop saying “reduce” and use “rewrite.” Stop saying “cross-multiply” and allow students to make sense of what they are solving.
Jeny Randall introduces her 6th graders to Shakespeare, first tossing quotes around a circle, then character mapping, and finally prepping and presenting scenes. Keying into themes of Identity and Origin, she rotates among 3 comedies’ mistaken identities. The kids love it!
Alison Dover and Fernando Rodrigues-Valls highlight the gaps in current education policy and practice that affect newcomer and plurilingual students and then offer ways to equitably meet those students’ needs. TESOL educator Kimberlee Elder is grateful for their book.
The more Kasey Short considers joy when planning lessons and responding to students, the more everyone enjoys time together and the more they learn. Her joyful tools include celebrating, sharing ‘fun’ texts, students choosing music, moving indoors and out, laughing, and more.
After 20+ years of teaching, Dina Strasser has found one thing almost never fails to connect with adolescents: the positive reaction you get when you genuinely compliment a kid on their appearance. Check out the strategy she’s developed to help reap smiles and build rapport.
