The reality of teaching in a co-teacher role was sometimes a rough ride, writes author and co-teaching coach Elizabeth Stein. Three things helped keep her strong, and one of them proved to be the key to solving all her co-teaching puzzles: the Universal Design for Learning.
Civics advocate Shawn McCusker doesn’t agree with a noted professor’s premise that there’s no hope for democracy, but “I do agree that our failure to prepare our citizens for the responsibilities of democracy is an existential crisis.” Learn what he urges educators to do.
Katelyn Oellerich’s well-researched 9-week program for school-based mental health professionals can also benefit all educators with its CBT and mindfulness case studies, definitions, methods and strategies to help manage student anxiety, writes NBCT Kathleen Palmieri.
Like many teachers during last year’s “post-Covid” return to school, middle school veteran Sarah Cooper slipped into the fog and funk and wondered if the joy in teaching was gone for good. Here’s how she wrenched herself through the dark time and found her groove again.
Back to School / Back to School / Resources
by Susan Curtis · Published 07/20/2023 · Last modified 08/17/2023
What’s waiting for you on the other side of the door? Lots of excitement, a few nervous moments, and faces filled with questions. Welcome back! We’ve rounded up lots of useful resources for your first days.
Poetry “pauses” can become the heart and soul of English class AND address almost any reading and writing standard. Teacher-author Brett Vogelsinger shares three examples – poems that can help students extend their understanding of structure, character and personal narrative.
History & social studies / Resources
by Susan Curtis · Published 07/14/2023 · Last modified 08/14/2023
Help students discover Labor Day’s origin and the United States labor movement’s past triumphs and current challenges in this MiddleWeb resource roundup. You’ll find resources for history, current events, English Language Arts and civics classes, across grades 4-8.
Writing poems for two voices lets student researchers delve deep into multiple sources and unearth differing perspectives. Jenn Bogard and Lisa Donovan offer a sample poem based on Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother image, merging the stories of the photographer and the subject.
It’s daunting to invite politics into the classroom. But when we do it right, students can learn to engage meaningfully with people who see the world very differently. Kent Lenci has tips to help the conversations thrive, including developing media literacy and supporting SEL.
Hispanic Heritage Month / Resources
by Susan Curtis · Published 07/08/2023 · Last modified 09/05/2023
For over 50 years the United States has commemorated the achievements of Hispanic and Latinx Americans as well as learned about the discrimination they have faced over centuries. MiddleWeb’s resource collection can help students learn more about this rich and complex heritage.
