It is almost summer! Can you hear the angels singing? Summers are exactly what a teacher needs to refresh their minds and to fill their tank back up. Here are some things you should definitely do this summer as a teacher, as well as things you should definitely not do. DO: Reflect and audit for next year DON’T: Stress about next year Take a moment to reflect ...
How to Teach Dividing Fractions
Dividing fractions doesn't have to be scary! I was shocked to learn that this study determined that students’ knowledge of fractions and division uniquely predicts their achievement in high school years later. Make sure to grab your free how to teaching fraction division guide below Check out the player to hear the interview, or you can read the transcript that has ...
Strategies to Build Middle School Number Sense
Number sense, specifically middle school number sense, is an intriguing topic in the world of education. As a math teacher, I was amazed at how some students would compute numbers in their head while others liked to work out problems by hand. Let’s break down what number sense is, how you can teach it, and discuss 4 strategies to use with your students to develop this life-long ...
USING POST-IT® NOTES IN MATH
It is no secret that teachers love Post-it® Notes, and now I can say with confidence that students love them too! According to researchers from UCLA and Carnegie Mellon, students enjoy learning more with Post-it® Notes. The brightly colored Post-it® Super Sticky Notes have 2x the sticking power and pack so much potential when it comes to engaging students in your daily lessons, so I ...
State Test Prep during a Pandemic
Listen on: APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY For some states, end-of-year state testing is still happening despite the craziness of this year - reopening, virtual schooling, hybrid learning, and all of the precautions to stay safe. Honestly, I felt frustrated, but as the leaders of our classroom, I thought it would be beneficial to dive into how to make the best of state test prep for ourselves ...
Strategies for Middle School Small Groups
Middle school small groups are a favorite topic of ours over here at Maneuvering the Middle. If you are someone who hasn’t pulled a small group before, then I hope that this post gives you the confidence you need to get started. To learn more about small groups, click here. Listen On: APPLE PODCAST | Spotify What is holding me back from trying small groups? There are 3 ...
What is The Grid Method?
On today’s podcast, Noelle had the opportunity to chat with Chad Ostowski about The Grid Method. Chad is the CEO of Teach Better and a former 7th grade Science teacher. He developed The Grid Method after the hardest teaching year of his life. Can you relate? If your students lack ownership of their learning, or if you are struggling to reach all of your learners, then The Grid Method ...
How to Grade Less Student Work
When I was a student, I was highly motivated by grades, so when I first stepped into the role as teacher, I was shocked when one of my students threw away a graded assignment that I had just handed back. He didn’t look it over or ask me any questions; he just put it in the trash can. I had expected him to care that he had just failed. Lesson # 643 that I learned that first ...
4 Things I Always Do When Lesson Planning
Lesson planning is like cleaning the kitchen. You are never done. As teachers, we are both proactive and reactive in planning lessons. We plan ahead, then execute, then go back to our plans to edit when students are not mastering concepts. We. are. always. lesson. planning. It might sound like a complaint, but it is just a reality of instruction - you must always have a ...
Advocate for Yourself, Teacher
Teachers are advocates. We discover a student has a need, we communicate the need to various stakeholders, and then we use our collective brainpower and resources to make sure that need is met. When a former student struggled to see the board, I worked with the counselor to help this student get a prescription and the glasses they needed. Teachers do this for so many people in their ...