*Please see this month’s editorial for more context on this article. Introduction: What We Did Becoming a “Lifelong Explorer” is one of our school’s “Portrait of a Graduate” goals for all students. As staff members and educators, we want to live into those same goals and values as we aim to mold students into the […]
Young adult literature continues to be fertile ground for an amazing range of books covering almost every subject imaginable. Below are quick reviews of the best eleven books that I read in the past year. These books are appropriate for middle school and/or high school readers. Not all these books were published in 2019, but […]
I was teaching a grade twelve biblical studies class when something unexpected happened. In a class full of strong minds and bodies, I saw fear in my students’ eyes. They were afraid of University; not afraid of the workload or the professors, but afraid of not being able to answer the onslaught of questions about […]
by Cory Nikkel and Matt Townsley The Standards-Based Classroom: Make Learning the Goal touts the expertise of two practitioners who have worked ceaselessly to make standards-based learning (SBL) the perfect fit for Champlain Valley School in Vermont. The authors quickly remind readers that SBL will not look and operate the same in every building and […]
Presentation Craig Barton, a British math teacher, introduces his topic in a humble fashion—unusual among educators. He endeavors to talk about being a math teacher, and so he begins with his qualifications. While he notes his bona fides as an “Outstanding” teacher with a national and international reputation, including work in Thailand and Cambodia, he […]
Over Christmas break this year, I read Waking the Rainbow Dragon (Dragon Masters #10) by Tracey West. I did this because before break I had a long discussion with a third-grade boy where we looked at hints in past Dragon Masters books as to what new dragons might be featured in upcoming adventures. (I may […]
Young Adult (YA) literature is exploding. A broad range of stories is coming out right now in the unprecedented numbers of books for young adults. On the one hand, this has meant some incredibly powerful stories that can connect deeply with our students in terms of both the brokenness of our world and also the […]
This year was another outstanding one for picture books. Once again, narrowing down this list to just ten was an almost insurmountable task. I encourage you to take a trip to your local independent bookstore and spend some time paging through picture books. You won’t be disappointed. The topics covered in picture books this past […]
Whenever I find a book that I love, everyone around me knows about it. According to my new favorite book, 5 Voices, that is because my foundational voice is a Connector: “It doesn’t matter if it is a movie or a restaurant or a business colleague they want to introduce you to, whatever Connectors are […]
I was at my desk collecting writing assignments when Hannah, one of my sixth graders, walked over. “Mrs. Blok,” she said, “when are we going to read a book that has a girl as the main character?” So far we had read The Phantom Tollbooth and King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table—both […]