Teaching dystopian fiction offers students a meaningful way to engage with literature and social issues while developing critical thinking skills. Kasey Short suggests discussion questions, activities, and a sample of dystopian novels and short stories to capture students’ attention.
By revealing and humanizing stories from the past, historical fiction fosters curiosity, inspires empathy, stimulates critical thinking, and helps develop understanding of complex issues. Kasey Short shares questions, activities and titles to help students benefit from the genre.
Exploring human experiences through personal stories promotes discussions that focus on facts and individual realities rather than generalizations and stereotypes and helps students develop empathy, compassion and understanding, writes Kasey Short. Reading suggestions included!
In math class students can be challenged to build both their character and their math proficiency if we adopt the roles of cultivator and guide. Mona Iehl calls on teachers to follow the principles of ECHO and help each student embrace a leadership role in the learning journey.
To make sure that kids, teachers, and families have what they need to be successful and joyful, Stephanie Farley details how assistant principals can show up, listen deeply, and chill out. To start, spend time with students during lunch and find ways to do some teaching.
Shifting our STEM teaching approach to align with current workforce needs means broadening our thinking about the design process, writes Anne Jolly. That includes helping students work together to build the skills of empathy and creativity that lead to innovative solutions.
Just like adults, our students will respond better when we offer an empathetic response to their situation. School psychologist Katelyn Oellerich relates the story of “Justin” as an example, highlights the Restorative Conversations process, and shares some helpful resources.
Examining the human impact of climate change through texts allows students to connect climate science to the human cost of climate change, develop empathy for communities impacted by climate change, and discover more about climate justice, writes ELA teacher Kasey Short.
Social Emotional Learning / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Tan Huynh · Published 01/20/2020 · Last modified 01/21/2020
To help our English learners leave our classes and schools not only with greater language command but with more emotional control and awareness of others’ perspectives, Tan Huynh suggests storifying SEL, building social-emotional skills into lesson planning, and more.
Boundaries and Consent / It's Not Easy Being Tween
by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 08/20/2019 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Teaching about empathy, boundaries, and consent needs to begin in middle school if not before, writes teacher leader Cheryl Mizerny. She talks us through the problems and suggests age-appropriate approaches. Her resources include RAINN network and Laurie Halse Anderson.
