Steven Eskay

We cannot make students be intrinsically motivated, writes teaching coach Barbara Blackburn. But we can create a classroom culture that focuses on the building blocks of value and success. When we do, students are more likely to grow resilient and take chances on learning. The post Value Plus Success Equal Student Motivation first appeared on…

Laurie Miller Hornik describes what happened when English department colleagues got together to improve their responses to student writing. The collaboration produced a feedback protocol for reading, coaching and evaluating assignments that’s still in use five years later. The post Give Students Writing Feedback That Works first appeared on MiddleWeb. from MiddleWeb https://ift.tt/A50VmYz

Coaching in Gifted Education by Emily Mofield and Vicki Phelps is a rich resource for educators looking for ways to meet the needs of exceptional learners. The authors are the partners GT coaches need to be the partners that classroom teachers need, writes NBCT Kim Rensch. The post Implementing the Moving Parts of GT Coaching…

Teachers Samantha Layne and Susanne Croasdaile introduce a new UDL-friendly tool to promote higher thinking, using a model-building strategy. TPRY helps students break down visual content, analyze it, and even build their own visual texts. See a food web modeling example. The post Try This UDL Higher Order Thinking Strategy first appeared on MiddleWeb. from…

In math class students can be challenged to build both their character and their math proficiency if we adopt the roles of cultivator and guide. Mona Iehl calls on teachers to follow the principles of ECHO and help each student embrace a leadership role in the learning journey. The post Math: the Perfect Place to…

Katie Durkin has begun adding picture books and read alouds to her seventh grade classes. She finds that in units like historical fiction and social justice, they bring students a sense of nostalgia, help them grasp difficult abstract concepts, and create a shared experience. The post What Picture Books Add to a Middle School Class…

Sparking Creativity in the World Language Classroom by veteran educators Deborah Blaz and Tom Alsop provides examples from language programs showcasing how creativity can be integrated into curricula to engage our students, writes Spanish teacher and ELM coach Melinda Stewart. The post Building Skills in the World Language Class first appeared on MiddleWeb. from MiddleWeb…