Group items tagged

A special page for teachers who are just beginning their classroom careers. Among recent additions: Links to a series of Teacher Magazine's Teaching Secrets articles; ideas for creating a positive and engaging classroom environment, and practical advice on developing the "Organized Middle Schooler." Check back often.

Context of teacher learning is described. Strategies are suggested for promoting teacher learning. Maute, J. (2003). The spirit of teaching learning. Middle Ground, 6(3), 10-12.

The report was written by Linda Darling-Hammond and a team of researchers from the Stanford University School Redesign Network. It examines what research has revealed about professional learning that improves teachers' practice and student learning. The report describes the availability of such opportunities in the United States and high-achieving nations around the world, which have been making substantial and sustained investments in professional learning for teachers over the last two decades.

The Middle School Portal is built specifically for middle school math and science teachers. Improve your content knowledge, more effectively integrate technology, connect to just in time teaching ideas, and search or browse by subject lists based on the national math and science education standards.

Curriculum integration involves not only helping students make connections across content areas, but also promoting democracy in the classroom. The concepts of curriculum integration are discussed. The reactions of teachers, students, and parents to curriculum integration are reported. Paterson, J. (2003). Curriculum integration in a standards-based world. Middle Ground, 7(1), 10-12.

The benefits and criticism of increased assessment or testing are discussed. Increased testing helps teachers monitoring students' learning process and their own teaching strategies and school curriculum. The main criticism is "lack of value to education in its current incarnation." Suggestions of improved assessment are recommended.

The roles of technology in students' performance assessment, teachers' professional development, data management, and teaching supports are discussed. Kalmbacher, S. (2004). Data to action technology's role in accountability. Middle Ground, 8(2), 12-15.

High achieving students are just as desperate as any other students for good teachers to help them progress. Strategies to meet the needs of advanced learners are provided in this article. Rakow, S. (2007). All means all: Classrooms that work for advanced learners. Middle Ground, 11(1), 10-12.

Texas Instruments has partnered with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics to develop activities related to the show. We have developed our own materials. We welcome comments, suggestions, and contirubitons to these pages. Send them to the project director, Rick Durrett (rtd1(at)cornell.edu)

Engrade is a free set of web-based tools for educators allowing them to manage their classes online while providing parents and students with 24/7 real-time online class information. It's private, secure, truly free, and unbelievably easy to use - so join over 50,000 teachers and start using Engrade today.

This special report uses video interviews and other Web-based media to tell the story of America's decades-long struggle with improving our students' proficiency in math. It looks at international comparisons of student performance in math, and (here in the U.S.) at teacher preparation, the value of technology to math learning, and the importance of quantitative literacy as a foundation not only for work in science and technology, but also for a future as a problem-solver and an engaged citizen in today's world.

Students achieve at higher levels when teachers think more deeply about how their classroom assessments fit into the larger instructional environment. Chappuis, S., & Stiggins, R. (2008). Finding balance: Assessment in the middle school classroom. Middle Ground, 12(2), 12-15.

Across the country, teachers are providing students with the opportunity to use technology to make valuable contributions to their learning community. November, A. (2008). The digital learning farm. Middle Ground, 12(1), 10-13.

PILS is short for the Parents Involved in Learning System. We are an online service designed to help parents and teachers jointly and more closely and astutely monitor and evaluate individual student development and academic performance.

This is the top 12 (and adding) best web sites for middle grades as chosen by Middle Web. The sites cover all disciplines and include professional resources.