Create Compose Connect / Media Literacy
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 04/21/2019 · Last modified 12/03/2019
Our students are native digital readers, but they aren’t necessarily logged into their Kindle accounts. Helping middle schoolers become lifelong readers of credible news and information requires proactive strategies. Teacher Jeremy Hyler describes three of his favorites.
Book Reviews / Multiple Intelligences
by MiddleWeb · Published 04/18/2019 · Last modified 01/17/2020
Teachers will find everything they need to implement the theory of multiple intelligences in Thomas Armstrong’s book, writes teacher Michelle Voelker. Armstrong addresses MI criticism and provides easy changes that can be made by teachers who want to decide for themselves.
Rather than approaching differentiation as “making it easier” for some, Barbara Blackburn suggests a strategy that assures lessons will be rigorous while also giving struggling students the supports they need. Her example involves an informational reading lesson.
Math Strategies / Meaningful Math
by Michelle Russell · Published 04/16/2019 · Last modified 03/04/2024
Geoff Krall’s valuable new book gets down to math “nuts and bolts,” writes teacher Michelle Russell. It’s not just about theory. It offers detailed strategies and ideas to create the three necessary conditions for students to begin to see themselves as mathematicians.
Assessment Review / Wide Open Learning
by Megan Kelly · Published 04/15/2019 · Last modified 11/30/2019
Reviewing for year-end assessments doesn’t have to be dull, tedious or routine. Ever-creative teacher Megan Kelly describes her favorite ways to offer test prep and review activities that are filled with exploration, fun and inquiry. Be sure to share an idea of your own!
We ask our students to “step up” and own their work. Now it’s time for us to “step up to the challenge.” Whether you are a novice or a veteran, Alex Kajitani’s book will be your guide to continuing your passion for teaching by helping you “own it,” writes Linda Biondi.
Rigor in the RTI and MTSS Classroom is a practical, research-based approach to the “what” and “how” involved in helping struggling students succeed. Erin Corrigan-Smith notes the authors’ assurance that educators have the knowledge and power to make change happen.
Close Reading the Media / Political Optics
by Frank Baker · Published 04/10/2019 · Last modified 04/16/2019
As the presidential race heats up, stagecraft and poli-optics will be an important part of everything we see and hear, writes media literacy expert Frank Baker. Here’s how we can help students pull back the curtain on techniques used by professional image manipulators.
Whether they are fiction or nonfiction, the best stories are told through mood as we react to events, people and emotions. For students, identifying, tracking and exploring moods in stories and images is an easy way to enter into text. Teacher Trevor Bryan shares his approach.
Future of History / Teaching Insights
by Lauren S. Brown · Published 04/08/2019 · Last modified 11/14/2019
That day you left your notes at home. Or taught a stupendous lesson that left kids bored. Or found a student’s super essay was all plagiarized. Or arranged a special speaker only to learn about a conflicting event. Middle school teacher Lauren Brown offers solace and a mood lifting idea.
