Book Reviews / Project Based Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 12/26/2018 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Teacher leader Kevin Hodgson finds much to like in A.J. Juliani’s The PBL Playbook. The text is built around practical advice for PBL implementation and classroom experiences. For beginners Juliani’s stories are a lifeline, offering mentor examples and lesson analysis.
Whether it’s performing as a person from history or working on a community problem with others, an assessment that gets students to dig deep into content will result in more rigorous learning, writes consultant Barbara Blackburn. She shares examples to get kids started.
Student Civic Action / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 03/25/2018 · Last modified 11/12/2019
If ever there was a time to think about how to prepare our students for the larger stage of the public civic sphere, it’s now. Teacher Kevin Hodgson interviews author and educator Steven Zemelman who has been working with teachers to move kids from inquiry into action.
Drawing on her national survey of 1500 students, Heather Wolpert-Gawron’s “Just Ask Us” brings their voices to the challenges of engagement. Adding teacher interviews and research, she offers a strategy-filled resource that belongs in every teacher’s hands, says David Bever.
Book Reviews / Project Based Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 02/01/2018 · Last modified 11/17/2019
After outlining the three design shifts in clarity, challenge and culture Michael McDowell calls for in Rigorous PBL by Design, teacher Rebecca Berger recommends PBL educators and leaders of PBL-focused schools take the time to read this dense but informative book.
You might look at Heather Wolpert-Gawron’s table of contents in “Just Ask Us” and think that you’ve seen these topics before. You have – but you likely haven’t seen them all in one place, enhanced by the rich voices and wisdom of our students. says teacher Sarah Cooper.
Future of History / History and Spoken Poetry
by Sarah Cooper · Published 10/22/2017 · Last modified 11/24/2019
In a recent post, Sarah Cooper wrote about her fears surrounding a new current-events project – her 8th graders creating spoken poetry videos on issues of interest to them. Here she reviews the experience and its power to create community as it engaged her students.
Book Reviews / Project Based Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 10/12/2017 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Hacking Project Based Learning is a rich resource for teachers and administrators who want to begin implementing project-oriented inquiry learning, says PBL teacher Sandy Wisneski. She appreciates the strong emphasis on student ownership in each of the book’s 10 hacks.
Being Culturally Responsive / The Unstoppable ML Teacher
by Valentina Gonzalez · Published 09/12/2017 · Last modified 11/22/2019
Texas professional learning leader Valentina Gonzalez launches her new MiddleWeb blog, The UnStoppable ELL Teacher, with a look at Culturally Responsive Teaching – what it means and why it’s essential to helping English language learners succeed in American classrooms.
Andi McNair’s “Genius Hour” is a valuable resource for educators who want to release potential in students but do not know how or where to start. Reviewer Terry Carter praises McNair’s focus on scaffolding strategies that can help students pursue their passions.
