Writing a decade ago, Jody Passanisi and Shara Peters wondered if online learning could replace physical school. Now as they evaluate the costs to students of pandemic driven education, the teachers turned school leaders have their answer: Content in a human vacuum can’t sustain itself.
As Kathie Palmieri implemented the vocab ideas in Marilee Sprenger’s The Essential 25, she found her 5th graders showed greater confidence in their daily work and demonstrated increased word knowledge in their reading, writing and test-taking. She highly recommends the book.
Close Reading the Media / Factchecking
by Frank Baker · Published 05/11/2022 · Last modified 05/12/2022
How do we help students question and verify what they read? It’s not that hard to check things out, writes media literacy expert Frank Baker, but teachers tell him many students today “won’t take the time to do even a cursory investigation.” Baker offers some teaching ideas.
Middle grades teacher Kathleen Palmieri uses a time-saving digital tool to create quick and concise visual instructions. Show students how to share a document, use an add-on, find an online resource and much more. Kathie outlines the basics and recommends a good YouTube how-to video.
Close Reading the Media / Teaching the Holocaust
by Frank Baker · Published 04/13/2022 · Last modified 01/25/2023
What we do as educators to help our students better understand the reality of the Holocaust is crucial in a time of lies, half-truths and misinformation, writes media literacy expert Frank Baker. “It is my hope that the ideas, suggestions and resources offered here will be helpful.”
The end of every school year is always frantic. Especially this year, plan year-end celebrations that reflect your school’s values and recognize everything the staff has done to assure a successful school year, recommend Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn.
365 Quotes for Teachers: Inspiration and Motivation for Every Day of the Year does what author and principal Danny Steele intends – motivates, challenges, and helps keep the job in perspective. Reviewer Anne Anderson suggests ways to use the book and offers some samples.
Using a variety of teaching strategies is a great way to ensure students are cognitively engaged, writes math teacher Kathie Palmieri. Their responses to strategic prompts start productive discussions, and this helps kids feel they have a voice in shaping their learning.
While supervision has a place in schools, the purpose is not to improve instruction, writes principal and author Matt Renwick. Leading like a coach supports teaching and learning, and principals will be in a prime position to do this vital work if they develop three coaching skills.
The new edition of Debbie Silver’s Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8 is an essential handbook for adults who want to help kids become committed, continuous learners. NBCT Kathie Palmieri finds the book’s attention to self-motivation, ZPD and growth mindset particularly helpful. Highly recommended.
