Viewing: Teacher Resources
Blogging with Middle Schoolers: Frontloading and First Steps
So I just finished introducing blogging to my middle school classes. They are hooked, as each year before them was hooked. I use it as a substitute for Reading Logs, that dreaded love-of-reading killer which causes eye rolls in many
Middle School Nuts and Bolts: Intro to Time Management
A tween is all about distraction. Their brain is just going through so many changes that focus can be an issue under the best of circumstances. They are trying to settle on an identity, their cast of friends changes from
How to Battle Epic Paragraphing – updated
I originally wrote this post some time ago, but because it is such a problem that a teacher can detect so early on, I thought I would repost it for those who may have missed it on the last go-round.
Middle School Nuts and Bolts: Start of the Year Routine and Handouts
I’m asked frequently about the nuts and bolts of middle school: classroom management, paperwork, first day rituals, etc…So I wanted to do a series of posts that addresses what I’m doing right now, real time. The start of the year
Tweenteacher Book Title Contest
Hey readers! I am hoping that the power of social media can help a gal out. I’m in the need of a catchy title for my new book that is due out in early 2011. The working title is Tips
Picking a Start of the Year Project for PBL
So just as school started to wrap up, I decided that at the start of next year, we would be picking a local cause and trying to solve it. Now, I was entertaining the thought that the kids would pick
Curriculum Segregation and Teacher Turfiness
High school teachers can be so turfy. Which was one of the reasons why I received an email earlier today concerned about my curriculum for the class I’m teaching at summer school camp. In a nutshell, I’ve been given leave
Pen Tricks and Differentiation
OK, for those of you not in the pen spinning loop, I’m talking about a craze that’s preoccupying tween fingers all over the known universe, or at least in my district. Of pen spinning, or object manipulation, as a sport,
The Courtesy Contract: Building Community ‘Til the Bitter End
As the school year comes to an end, I wanted to share one of my favorite activities: something I call, The Courtesy Contract. In my book for EyeOnEducation Publishing, due out in early 2011, called Tips for Tween teachers by
Norms for Skype and Video Conferencing in the Classroom
So recently my colleague, Kenna McRae, and I began using Skype between our two classrooms. Whenever I have a hair-brained idea, I know I can count on McRae to jump in and experiment with me. And I think the level
My students discussing Twilight
OK, so I was recently involved in an online debate about the merits of using Twilight in the classroom. Actually, it turned out to be not much of a debate, because despite our differences of opinion about the quality of
“Internet Literacy: The Genre” : CUE 2010
Thank you as well to those of you (wow! there were a lot of you!) who attended my “Internet Literacy: The Genre” session at CUE. As promised, here is the keynote itself to peruse at your leisure. As with everything
“Podcasting with 70 Middle Schoolers”: CUE 2010
Thank you to everyone who attended my session today at CUE on “Podcasting with 70 Middle Schoolers.” As promised, here is the keynote itself to peruse at your leisure. As with everything on my site, this work is licensed under
Studies Find There’s No Such Thing as Learning Styles – As Teachers, Should We Care?
According to Psychcentral.com, “Learning Styles are being re-evaluated” and negated. This theory, according to a recently published journal article claims that there is really no research out there to prove that students learn differently from one another. Shrug. Cue eye
The Rules of Netiquette for Online Gaming and RPGs
The upcoming issue of Imagine Magazine is going to focus on online gaming and role-playing games, so I was pumped when they approached me to see if I was interested in contributing again to their magazine. After all, for all
What Kind of Relationship Will I Have With My Child’s School?
This year is unlike any other in that for the first time, I am on the other side of the desk. My 3 year-old started pre-school this year and it has become a lesson in parenting and teaching like no
Teaching From Afar: Using Twitter While Absent
I’ve always been a multi-tasker. It frustrated my own teachers at times in that I always needed to be doing two things at once in order to be fully alert. My brain worked like riding a bicycle: if I only
Teacher by Day, WOW Warrior by Night
My name is Morigold. I am a dwarf paladin from Ironforge. My traveling companion, Balrong, is a night elf who hails from Darnaccus. Now let me translate: My name is Heather Wolpert-Gawron. I am a teacher and blogger who, once
Projector Central article: How a Teacher Learned to Get Along with her Promethean Board
I recently reviewed the Promethean Board, and more specifically its projector, for Projector Central. You can read the article here.
Costa’s Levels of Questioning and Student-Designed Assessments
So this week I introduced Costa’s Levels of Questioning to my students. We have some teachers on my site talking about these triggers of metacognition so it compliments everyone’s efforts to enter this discussion in the classroom. Costa’s is, in
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