Over the course of three articles, I have talked about doing Literature Circles with my 8th-grade students. For a list of the novels we used, check here. To read about the procedures I put in place for my students, check here. And for an explanation of how I used mini-lessons both as a full class […]
Middle School
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Have You Used Play-Doh In Your Middle School Classroom?
One of the huge challenges of teaching middle school is creating an environment where students know that their teachers care about them first. My teaching mantra over the last 26 years has always been “Kids first, curriculum second.” Middle school kids need to know that they are being listened to, they are important, and that […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Math Standards in Middle School
I taught middle school math for 30 years. During my career I used many different types of math standards. These standards included school district standards, NCTM standards, a new set of district standards, textbook “programs,” and finally the Pennsylvania state standards. The PA standards very closely resemble the current Common Core standards with one exception. […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Encouraging Conversation About Teen Suicide
We’re just a few weeks into the new school year, and already communities are mourning the tragic deaths of students by suicide. From the public outcry of Daniel Fitzpatrick’s parents to the private grief of classmates, teen suicide plagues the school community. How do we talk to our students about the devastating realities of depression […]
Posted inBack to School
10 Terrific Team-Building Activities for Secondary Students
Once students reach Middle School and beyond, teachers often believe that students must know each other already. As a result, team-building often gets skipped. Last year, I realized that some of my students didn’t know each other after all. This moment came two-thirds of the way through the year, when I asked a student to get “Charlie” […]
Posted inBack to School
First, We Must Educate The Heart
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” – Aristotle Teachers, have you thought about this challenge? How will you educate the heart this year? Childhood – especially the middle school years – can seem like a crazy-making manic time for kids. One minute they’re sweet young and innocent, most interested […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
The Middle School Mind: How To Find Out What They’re Thinking
Summer is finally over. Parents are secretly smiling as they shoo their kids out the door, snap a few first day of school photos and sigh. Yes, some of them might shed a few tears over the passage of time and the impending high school graduation – even if it’s still five years away. And some […]
Posted inElementary School
Classroom Organization: When “Q” was the Only Beautiful Thing in the Room
It is summer, and most elementary classroom walls have been laid bare for repainting or for cleaning. Their empty exposure reminds me of a classroom from an earlier age, from my own elementary school. At the risk of dating myself, from grade 3 on up I could count on one singular decorative element….the cursive alphabet that hung over the […]