Informed educators can have a positive impact on students who are struggling In her 1994 book of poetry, Something Permanent, writer/poet Cynthia Rylant gets inspiration from the photographs of Walker Evans, a photojournalist who documented rural America during the Great Depression in the 1930s for the Farm Security Administration. In one photo, a young boy sits
Read More… from Panic Anxiety Disorders in Middle School Students
Using art to boost student motivation and build community Dopamine is known as the “feel good” neurotransmitter, and we crave it because it lets us know that predicted rewards are coming. That first sip of coffee that signals caffeine will improve your mood and energy level, the burst of euphoria when you win a race,
Designing assessments to analyze teaching and learning One of the most frustrating parts of teaching for me has been assessments. There have been so many times when I’ve felt success in learning with my students throughout a unit only to realize they haven’t learned what I thought or hoped they had. It’s equally frustrating for
Read More… from The Dos and Don’ts of Creating Meaningful Assessments
Let the torture, I mean, texting begin A rite of passage for many students entering middle school is being handed their own cell phone. Chances are that parents of kids entering fifth, sixth, or seventh grades have discussed cell phones ad nauseum because their kids have been anticipating getting one for a long time. It
Strong family and community relationships are critical components of positive school culture The importance of building strong relationships with parents and community members cannot be underestimated; these stakeholders must be an integral aspect of a school’s culture. School leaders must also recognize that bi-annual conferences, monthly newsletters, and occasional calls to a media outlet are
Read More… from 8 Ideas for Engaging Families and the Community
Audiobooks, eBooks, and print, each play a role in students’ personalization of reading If all my students earned 100% on their reading assessments, but then left my classroom hating reading, I have failed as a teacher. It is not in the Common Core Standards to foster a lifetime love for reading. The standards do not