This week it has been even more of a pleasure than usual to spend time with eighth graders. They’ve been creating social reform concept maps, an oldie-but-goodie project that I… Continue reading
“On the Best Days, Our Students Teach Us,” MiddleWeb
“Tapping the Power of Daily Student Writing,” MiddleWeb
After reading this book, if you’re not asking your students to do low-stakes daily writing that brings thinking to the forefront, it may be hard to justify to yourself why not. Mary K. Tedrow’s Write Think Learn makes a strong case for… Continue reading
“Helping Students Grow into Thoughtful Citizens,” MiddleWeb
Talking about civics and governing these days, even among friends, can be a challenge. Now think about those tasked to teach about citizenship to a group of students from diverse political backgrounds and beliefs. Sarah Cooper’s Creating Citizens takes on that challenge… Continue reading
“Can I Have a Do-Over? A Debate Gone Awry,” MiddleWeb
Most days, I feel reasonably positive about how my classes have gone, in this my 19th year of teaching. I usually have in mind tweaks or even overhauls for next year’s version of that topic, but rarely do I feel that an entire project has fallen short of my expectations. But last month… Continue reading
“Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement,” MiddleWeb
Heather Wolpert-Gawron’s Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement is one of those books about teaching that you will want to consult again and again. Crucially, everything in the book is based on extensive research… Continue reading
“Violence and Tragedy in Current Events Class,” MiddleWeb
It’s been a hard fall to talk about the news with my students. This is not a new or unique feeling. But it’s even harder than it used to be to find perspective, as I wrote about several years ago in the wake of depressing incidents at home and abroad… Continue reading
“Want to Take My Civics Class? Get Ready to Squirm,” Zocalo Public Square
In many conversations, the topic of civics education comes with its own halo. The conventional wisdom is that it’s good, clean medicine, and if our children just… Continue reading
“Divided political climate pushes teacher’s writings on civics to the head of the class,” Los Angeles Times
An eighth-grade history teacher at Flintridge Preparatory School who uses current events to inspire students to think and engage in deep discussions about the world around them, Sarah Cooper remembers watching the November 2016 election… Continue reading
“Stepping Back and Letting My Students Go,” MiddleWeb
Why did I worry? In my last blog post, I wrote about my fears surrounding a new project. My eighth-grade U.S. history students had chosen an issue they cared about in the news, and they were about to write and film spoken word poems about it. I was nervous, and… Continue reading
“When Staying Nonpartisan Feels Just Too Difficult,” MiddleWeb
Regardless of where teachers land politically, and whether or not you hope to remain an impartial guide, it can sometimes feel like tiptoeing through a minefield to facilitate a balanced discussion of current events… Continue reading
Sarah Cooper 