Future of History / Historical thinking
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 10/17/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
There’s no perfect teaching recipe that balances patriotism and civic responsibility, says middle school history teacher Lauren Brown. But if educators attempt to ignore the low points in America’s past, they’ll insult students’ intelligence and lose their trust.
Educators talk about giving students “voice, choice and agency,” says NBCT Rita Platt, but how does that actually happen in a practical, curriculum-friendly way? Platt believes the secret is teaching students to set goals. Learn about her 5-step process (tools included).
In the 2nd edition of Joyful Learning, Alice Udvari-Solner and Paula Kluth provide a great resource to promote teacher collaboration and move inclusion classrooms beyond the superficial and toward more meaningful engagement of every student, says Erin Corrigan-Smith.
Reading is reinforced when students have hands-on experience with the ideas they find in informational texts. ELA teacher Brian Cook’s after-school drones program helps students explore flight, consider privacy and safety issues, and learn more about new careers.
Engagement / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 10/02/2017 · Last modified 11/13/2019
Emotions are a natural part of learning, writes co-teaching coach and NBCT Elizabeth Stein. In fact, she says, when teachers in inclusion classrooms tap into emotions and provide quality feedback, they’ll find they’re better able to serve diverse learners effectively.
Debbie Silver’s worst mistake? She managed to teach middle level science classes for too many years without ever fully embracing the practice of pre-assessment. See how her teaching changed and how yours might too with her simple go-to pre-assessment tools.
National Bullying Prevention Month begins October 1. Throughout the year MiddleWeb’s collection of anti-bullying resources from educators, nonprofits and agencies can help teachers and schools respond to bullying and cyberbullying, both of which peak in middle school.
Done right, teacher coaching “can create bridges between varied experiences and classroom contexts, so that teaching knowledge flows in many directions, and teaching becomes a less isolated, more connected profession.” Ariel Sacks shares two lessons she learned early on.
This fall, as school districts scattered around the country are considering “no homework” policies, teacher educator Curtis Chandler looks at research on whether and how homework can support learning and suggests teaching apps to help make it short, meaningful, and accessible.
Future of History / History Resources
by Sarah Cooper · Published 09/10/2017 · Last modified 03/02/2021
A history teacher’s role is to transmute history into stories and lessons that engage and inform students. Sarah Cooper shares a think-aloud “wondering” about ways to incorporate some of her summer professional reading into middle school history classes this year.
