8 (More) Podcasts for History Teachers
Since I wrote my first post regarding great podcasts for History teachers, the genre has just proliferated. There are now so many more podcasts for teachers, and for those who love history. Therefore, I had to write a second edition of 8 podcasts for History teachers. I absolutely love listening to podcasts in my spare […]
First Year Middle School Teacher? – Here’s Some Advice
If you don’t know already, I have a group for Middle School Social Studies Teachers on Facebook. These teachers are fantastic at providing advice and resources to their fellow teachers. Recently, an individual new to the profession asked for some advice as a first year middle school teacher. Of course, the group replied with some […]
5 “Must-dos” for the First Day of Class
Middle schoolers are often a bundle of nerves on the first day of school. Most likely, they’re more concerned with what they’re wearing, seeing their friends, or the lunch menu than any class they attend. Figuring out WHAT to do with students on that first day can be so complicated and overwhelming for new teachers. We […]
Keeping Students Organized With a Binder Organization System
I’ve often discussed how I dislike interactive notebooks. As a result, teachers often ask me what organization system I have my students utilize instead. My method of student organization focuses on a binder method of organization. My Binder Organization System Very simply, my students organize all classroom handouts into a binder. I store the binders […]
Hey Middle School Teachers – It’s Okay to Skip Some Standards
One of the most daunting tasks presented to teachers is for them to cover all the standards. This is particularly problematic for Social Studies teachers, as we often have both content and skills standards built into our frameworks. In recent years, the number of “skill standards” have grown, as teachers are now expected to teach students […]
How to Create Assessments that Evaluate Historical Thinking Skills
I previously wrote about how I came to conceptualize how I would assess historical thinking in my classroom, now I thought I would show you how these tests come together. As always, I start with the skills and content knowledge that have been practiced in that Unit. At the beginning of the year, I assess […]
Assessing Historical Thinking Skills with Middle School Students
When I first realized that the new New York State assessments would require knowledge of historical thinking skills four years ago, I was honestly excited. Rote memorization had never made me fulfilled as a history teacher. I’ve always preferred to teach my students to think, and I was happy that I would now be teaching them to […]
Why Teaching is a Political Act
We see this phrase “teaching is a political act” often times when teachers are defending a political stance they have taken on social media or in the classroom. However, while this phrase is often utilized, it seems that its meaning is often obfuscated by rhetoric. Before anyone enters the teaching profession, they must really understand why teaching is […]
Why Interactive Notebooks Don’t Work for Me
As I’ve become more involved in the teaching community, I’ve noticed a growing tendency towards turning history into a series of craft projects. This issue has been very well documented by Jennifer Gonzalez (Cult of Pedagogy) in an article titled “Is Your Lesson a Grecian Urn?” Basically, her argument points out that there are many […]
When a Student Dies
Unfortunately, dealing with a student’s death is an issue that most of us will deal with at some point in our teaching careers. I’m half way through my career. I’ve had former students die in the past, some of natural causes, some in car accidents and some by suicide. Most of them were either out […]
