Literature circles bring reading to life for these sixth graders. What did we just read? I am so bored! Why are we reading this? What’s the point? Sound familiar? These were some of the responses to reading that I received during my first year teaching bright and talented sixth graders. How could 24 students, who
Read More… from Literature Circles: Student-Driven Instruction
Writing and reading “I Am” poetry through different lenses. “Read this article about The Great Pandemic of 1918–1919 and then answer the questions on the board,” the teacher directed as she handed out the printed pages. Where did the pandemic start? How did the pandemic spread? When did the pandemic end? How many Americans died
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A student-produced magazine celebrates middle level student voice. In October 2015, a team of seven editors—all eighth grade boys at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia—met during lunch to compare two digital publishing platforms. They judged entries for the Cover Art Contest and debated the potential of QR codes. By mid-November, a staff of 36
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Even the most technical STEM jobs require verbal and written communication skills. John Engler, president of The Business Roundtable and former governor of Michigan, recently wrote an article for U.S. News and World Report entitled “STEM Education Is the Key to the U.S.’s Economic Future.” Engler pointed out the United States’ reliance on more qualified workers
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Incorporating writing into math helps students understand their thinking. In the minds of middle grades learners, math and writing typically don’t go together. With the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) things have changed! If you’d asked me not too long ago about the challenges of teaching pre-algebra to adolescents, I would have talked about procedural
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Turning negative perceptions into positive outlooks. Common Core State Standards require that students read at complex levels. Guiding students through these increasingly complex materials can be daunting for teachers of mixed ability students, special education students, English Language Learners, and students considered to be Level 1 and Level 2 readers. Some students do not have
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