Teaching and learning in grades 4-8
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What math veteran Amy Leach found especially valuable in Pamela Harris’s book was how thoroughly she defines types of mathematical reasoning. It’s not just “reason, don’t memorize.” Harris explains how to move beyond algorithms with crystal-clear written and video examples.
Children’s books offer a much-needed escape from our digital culture. Centering on British author Katherine Rundell, Elaine Griffin looks into how young readers not only find fantasy, magic, and mischief but also discover the building blocks of character, curiosity, and courage.
As a part of a teacher’s overall classroom assessment, we want students to ask themselves questions. Encouraging students to assess themselves adds some extra rigor to the learning process and helps grow an important life skill. Barbara Blackburn shares four simple strategies.
Whether you are looking for ways to incorporate poetry into your existing curriculum or create a stand-alone poetry unit, Awakening the Heart is a treasure chest of activities, projects, mentor texts, and teaching strategies to support your work, writes teacher Jeny Randall.
The students and teachers on Kathie Durkin’s 7th grade team lead service projects that support diverse communities, build team camaraderie, and teach middle schoolers the importance of compassion and giving. Katie shares three of her favorites, including Blankets for Premies.
Kids don’t learn math by listening to us solve problems. They learn math by talking about how THEY solve problems. Author and math educator Mona Iehl shares how to implement three shifts: providing more student talk time, anticipating student approaches, and creating predictable routines.
Dennis Magliozzi and Christina Peterson share what they learned when they introduced AI into their 9th grade writer’s workshop model. Their results show how including AI can deepen inquiry, provide meaningful feedback in real time, and expand learning, says Catherine Cottingham.
Once Harry Potter ruled the reading realm. Students lined up to devour each new physical 300+ page title. Then came the tech shift. The instant gratification of video games, apps and texting. The “it’s too long for kids” narrative. Kathie Palmieri has a plan to turn the clock back.
Teacher Scott Silver-Bonito is using an AI bot to create student study guides and build AI study spaces that are interactive, informative, and responsive, taking the burden off the teacher to continually create study materials and review every student response. See his example!
Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom is a well-structured, research-backed guide for educators looking to increase efficiency as they integrate technology into their instructional practices, writes Melinda Stewart, who describes the book’s core strategies as “timeless.”