About a month into her student teaching semester, Melissa voiced frustration about one student who just would not engage in social studies class. Gregory seemed disinterested and apathetic, and he seldom completed his assignments. Melissa was determined to make a breakthrough, but how? How could she get Gregory engaged in social studies? How could she
Read More… from Research to Practice: Addressing Student Motivation in the Middle Grades
This article is timed to coincide with the celebration of National Comic Book Day, which will occur on Sept. 25th. Introduction & Rationale – Why create comic books? When Jason was a middle school student, comics were a contraband medium not only in the classroom, but among friends. Students would not necessarily disclose themselves as
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The bell sounded, signaling the start of another class period. I hear the girls behind me talking, purchasing an Air Heads candy from a classmate who secretly sold them. My favorite was the white Air Heads, and I was a loyal customer; savoring its sweet flavor was my only saving grace during math class. The
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Students’ sense of belonging matters. Research shows that students who feel they have a voice in class are seven times more likely to feel motivated than those who do not (Quaglia Institute, 2016). Giving students voice and increasing their feelings of belonging at school is pivotal for equity and encouragement of all learners. When students
Read More… from The Connection Between Belonging and Representation
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Even in the best of times, teaching middle school is full of ups and downs, challenges and successes; but when you throw a pandemic in the mix, it completely changes the experience for both teachers and students. As a middle school music teacher completing a graduate program at Erikson Institute, I wanted to learn more
Read More… from Post-Pandemic Challenges: The Use of Mantras on Executive Functioning Skills
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Let’s engage students with learning pursuits, rather than standards Culturally and historically responsive education is both a theory and model to respond to students’ histories, identities, literacies and liberation in pedagogy. In addition, this approach is a collaborative model where youth voices are at the center and caregivers and community members are our partners in
Read More… from 12 Questions to Ask When Designing Culturally and Historically Responsive Curriculum
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