The shift in education towards mobile learning and self reliance has educators and parents grappling over the social dynamic shift in relationships between student and adult. Access to technology has transformed traditional responsibilities, and redefined cultural values which is alarming for some and liberating for others. The media tends towards a worrisome focus on the health of those with access […]
Middle School
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Twain's Satire in "Advice to Youth" Speech
Students have regular exposure to forms of mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, or caricature on social media, on TV, on film, or Youtube, yet many still do not understand satire. Despite living in an atmosphere saturated 24/7 with “humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule that exposes and criticizes people’s stupidity or vices,” when students read satire, they say they just don’t “get it.” Perhaps […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Literacy, Middle School
Give Students What They Want to Read for Reading Practice
The middle school or high school classroom library can be an important tool in making students life-long readers, but how to choose what goes into a classroom library for independent reading? Providing the books that student want to read is different than pre-selecting books that students should read. Yes, educators believe that students should read selections from the literary canon, for example, those […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Current Events in Education, Featured, High School, Middle School
The Adventures of Teaching Middle School
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Whether you are teaching middle school for the first time, or have taught middle school for a few years and still aren’t quite comfortable with the assignment, this article is for […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, From the Front Lines, Middle School
Classroom Community and Rock-Paper-Scisssors
“When it is time to walk the dog, my kids do rock-paper-scissors.” This was a Facebook message posted by the mom of three of my former students. Several of her friends commented on how nice it was that they knew how to negotiate and not fight. I just laughed. It is a treat to see […]
Posted inCommon Core, Mathematics, Middle School
10 Great Resources for Engaging Middle School Math Students
It seems like it takes more and more to get students motivated now. Throw math work at them, and they will act like you’ve just asked them to scrub toilets. Fortunately, you can do a lot to get kids more “into” what’s going on in the classroom. Finding really good activities can go a long […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Uncategorized
Teachers in the United States Are NOT the Problem
For more years than I like to think about teachers in the United States have become the issue in determining why U.S. students do not perform as well as their international counterparts. The reason that there has been little success in turning our public schools around is that teachers are not the problem and until […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Middle School, Opinion, School Improvement
Why July is the BEST MONTH to be a Teacher (It’s Not What You Think!)
Oh July! How I love thee! The previous school year is in the rear-view mirror and thankfully getting smaller by the day. The next school year feels far off and gleefully removed; after all, a school year only becomes real when it has long enough tentacles to plant the birth pangs of stress in my […]