Middle School Teachers Chatboard

Aug 12, 2014

Assuming That Students Understand Our Words Fails Them

"I thought I understood. I really did! I thought they understood what I was saying."

gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/susan-fitzell/assuming-students-understand/

How a shoe can teach responsibility - Marjan Glavac

Aug 7, 2014

Marjan Glavac (@BusyEducator) writes about a unique method that worked for him to teach his students about responsibility.

Clever get-to-know-each-other activity for new school year

by Teachers.Net Gazette

Aug 5, 2014

Toilet paper! (Be sure to read the comment added below the linked activity for a teacher's alternate idea...and share yours.)

The Teacher Who Couldn't Read - True story

Aug 4, 2014

Difficult to imagine, but a true story! In the just-posted August issue of Teachers.Net Gazette:

The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read - By Owen M. Griffith - an incredible story!

Grading Essays

by Mrs. H

Jul 29, 2014

Quick question:

What's the most efficient way to grade essays?

(2)

Ms. Prudenti On 7/29/14, Mrs. H wrote: > Quick question: > > What's the most efficient way to grade essays?

Mrs. H,

I find that if you preplan by creating a rubric of how you are allocating points; you will find grading to be easier and less subjective. In fact, I further recommend you provide the students with said rubric for their u...See More

Jul 29, 2014

Sue On 7/29/14, Mrs. H wrote: > Quick question: > > What's the most efficient way to grade essays?

I'm torn over essays - should efficiency take precedence over everything else? Unfortunately I guess it has to though in the ideal world what would take precedence is grading/evaluating papers in a way that produces the most learning for...See MoreOn 7/29/14, Mrs. H wrote: > Quick question: > > What's the most efficient way to grade essays?

I'm torn over essays - should efficiency take precedence over everything else? Unfortunately I guess it has to though in the ideal world what would take precedence is grading/evaluating papers in a way that produces the most learning for students, the most motivation to correct and continue to develop their writing.

But we get reduced to trying to do it efficiently. I want to give a thorough evaluation to all student writing. If writing is as important as we make it out to be, then more than any other task it deserves my professional attention. I know rubrics are used and I use them too but not gobs of them. I give the kids a list of things necessary in good writing and usually I give each paper two grades - one for content and one for writing mechanics. I see papers with excellent ideas and insightful points and I think that should be noted and rewarded as it encourages them to continue to develop their writing mechanics. I see papers that are perfect in syntax, punctuation etc but have shallow content and to develop those students as writers I'll give their mechanics an A but writing is Much More than mechanics. A perfectly punctuated sentence can still be dull as dust.

I give fewer papers so I have time to invest in the papers I do assign. I never give another writing assignment until I have the prior one back and I tell both the kids and their parents back and explain why and it's always well- received. "I want to give the papers the benefit of a thorough evaluation."

And I don't want to just give grades - I want to have made a few comments. Not too many because the kids stop reading but three chosen comments in their papers for things to focus on.

And I allow rewrites. If a student wants to rewrite their paper a hundred times, wonderful. I will count the highest grade they achieve through their rewrites.

Is it efficient? I don't know but it lets me sleep with a clear conscience at night - I teach at a charter school where some families wake up at 4 to drive miles and miles to bring their kids to school.

Jul 29, 2014

Introverted Children in Extroverted Schools

Jul 21, 2014

Some of the most misunderstood aspects of introverted temperaments, and how teachers can help introverts succeed in the classroom.

What's Behind Claims that Kids Are Coddled, Overcelebrated?

In his article "Trophy Fury - What's Behind Claims that Kids Are Coddled and Over-celebrated?" Alfie Kohn writes:

"The last time I checked, a web search for the phrases 'everyone gets a trophy' and 'trophies just for showing up' produced more than 700,000 hits. The links mostly point to expressions of outrage that a thanks-for-playing toke...See More

Jul 14, 2014

(1)

History Teacher There is a sociologist - Barbara Ehrenreich I think - who years ago spoke to the changing position of children in American society and offered a coherent reason as to why it was changing.

Prior to the 1960s and the development of the birth control pill, family size was problematic.... While there have always been methods used to try to con...See More

Jul 16, 2014

The Silent Playground – Why Students Need Daily Recess

The school playground was once the highlight of most elementary students’ days. It was an escape where children could socialize with friends, participate in free play, take part in sports, and explore nature.

The endless laughter that once echoed from elementary school playgrounds has unfortunately turned into silence. [Click below to r...See More

Jul 7, 2014

How to Change your Classroom and Yourself with Gratitude

Jun 17, 2014

Teacher Owen Griffith writes:

Would you like to improve the culture in your classroom and your life? Try gratitude. This is the most powerful tool that I know. [Click below to read the article.]