One of the most frustrating things about teaching middle school is that a lesson can be genuinely good and still fall flat. You planned it carefully….It covers exactly what students need to learn….You even added an activity you were sure they would enjoy. Then you look around the room and see blank faces, half-hearted answers,
Student Engagement Isn’t About Entertaining Them Read More »
I used to think engagement had to be flashy. That the kids would only be interested if there were bells and whistles and everything was thematic and fun. So I went all in. I actually built a hospital room in my classroom once. The students were “operating” their way through the test prep. I hung
Engagement Strategies That Still Work in a Below-Level Class Read More »
Teaching Greek and Latin Roots Without Boring Your Students Words like biology, astronomy, therapy, and philosophy all have something in common. They’re built from Greek and Latin roots. Once students start recognizing those roots, something really powerful happens: they stop feeling completely lost when they encounter unfamiliar words. Instead of guessing randomly, they can break
Greek and Latin Roots Activities for Middle School Read More »
Grammar review doesn’t always have to be about filling out worksheets or endless drills. In fact, grammar can be one of the most fun parts of your ELA class when you introduce online games into the mix. There’s no limit to how creative and engaging grammar activities can be, especially when you’re trying to keep
4 Interactive Online Games to Teach Grammar Read More »
Time and time again, teachers may find it challenging to keep students engaged while teaching grammar curriculum—repeat, repeat, repeat, the same type of worksheet, and the same look in your students’ eyes when you announce today’s grammar lesson. Sound familiar? I always felt that teaching grammar was an uphill battle, especially with subjects like commas,
How I transformed my grammar curriculum Read More »
This is the second blog post in a series about standards-based assessment. On the previous blog, we discussed that standards-based assessments (SBA) are a way to evaluate students’ learning based on one single standard or indicator. We also talked about five reasons why you should use SBA in your classroom. Before you read this blog
How To Use Standard-Based Assessment Data Read More »
A few years ago, I was grading a test that my students had taken the previous week. I was really excited when I looked at the scores! Nineties and eighties littered my gradebook. It seemed like my students really grasped the skills within the assessment. Because the scores were so high, I continued on with
What Are Standards Based Assessments? Read More »
Tracking data sounds like the farthest thing from a good time, but I firmly stand by it. A few years ago, I was feeling lost in my content. We were moving ahead on schedule with the curriculum, but I felt like my students were falling farther and farther behind. Could standards based assessments be the
Why You Should Track Data in Middle School ELA Read More »
Truth, I LOVE DOODLE NOTES! As a 6th grade teacher, I saw a serious disconnect regarding note-taking. I had a few engaged students and eagerly taking notes (you know the ones I’m talking about.) But the others were gone, lost. I realized I needed something to keep student’s attention and engage them in the material.
Doodle Notes in ELA : How To Guide Read More »
What are two words likely to make a teacher’s head spin? Assessments and data. We hear these words frequently in education, and it’s often assumed that we must be experts at them. However, while teachers are experts in their content areas, we haven’t all been adequately taught about the different types of assessments and what
5 Ways To Assess Student’s Learning Read More »
When First Chapter Fridays first started, I was skeptical. The idea of reading just the first chapter of books sounded a little weird. But now, first chapter Fridays is one of my (and my students) favorite things about the week! First Chapter Fridays are an excellent opportunity to expose students to new books and authors
First Chapter Fridays Read More »
As middle school English teachers, we all know the importance of teaching our students about types of context clues. Context clues types are essential for understanding and interpreting a wide range of texts, from fiction to nonfiction. However, teaching context clues can be challenging, and it can be challenging to find engaging and purposeful ways
Teaching Context Clues Types: Middle School Read More »
