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For Mary Ellis, the advantages of allowing students to direct their own learning became apparent when, as a student teacher, she visited a 4th grade class to observe an “innovative” teacher. When she walked into the room, she saw students who seemed to be playing with matchbox cars. Ellis says, “I r

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Flexible Seating Elevates Student Engagement

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Breaking up rows of desks fosters collaboration and empowers kids to think about how they work best.

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I believe that all education proceeds by the participation of the individual in the social consciousness of the race. This process begins unconsciously almost at birth, and is continually shaping the individual's powers, saturating his consciousness, forming his habits, training his ideas, and arousing his feelings and emotions.

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PBS Online: Only A Teacher: Schoolhouse Pioneers

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John Dewey was the most significant educational thinker of his era and, many would argue, of the 20th century. As a philosopher, social reformer and educator, he changed fundamental approaches to teaching and learning. His ideas about education sprang from a philosophy of pragmatism and were central to the Progressive Movement in schooling.

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EducationWorld is pleased to present this professional development resource shared by Dr. Jane Bluestein, an expert in relationship-building, positive school climate and effective instruction.

Like boundaries, choices are motivational tools that encourage young people's cooperation through empowerment. Choices build responsibility and commitment, communicate the teacher's respect for students' needs and preferences and can encourage students to perform a particular behavior. Choices also can help prevent disruptive behaviors.

This handout from Dr. Bluestein provides guidelines on offering students choices. For example, it's most effective when teachers provide clear, simple options and if appropriate, leave room for kids to change their minds. While not everything in the classroom is negotiable, it's helpful to allow young people to contribute ideas whenever possible. Choices help students "do the right thing" while building their problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities.

This printable resource is an excellent "cheat sheet" to share with school staff including classroom teachers, specials teachers and substitutes.

The handout was excerpted and adapted from The Win-Win Classroom (2008) by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Publishing.

Also from Dr. Bluestein:
Is Your School Emotionally Safe?
Accommodating Student Sensory Differences
Tips for Positive Teacher-Parent Interaction
The Art of Setting Boundaries
The Beauty of Losing Control, Part 1
The Beauty of Losing Control, Part 2
Stressful Student Experiences: What Not to Do

Dr. Jane Bluestein is a speaker, trainer and specialist in programs and resources related to relationship building, effective instruction and personal development.

She is an award-winning author whose books include Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, High School's Not Forever, 21st Century Discipline, The Win-Win Classroom and many others. In addition, she has appeared on CNN, National Public Radio and "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Dr. Bluestein, formerly a classroom teacher, crisis-intervention counselor and teacher training program coordinator, currently heads Instructional Support Services, Inc., a consulting and resource firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Visit her Web site to access free resources, order books, read her blog and more.

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EducationWorld is pleased to present this professional development resource shared by Dr. Jane Bluestein, an expert in relationship-building, positive school climate and effective instruction. Like boundaries, choices are motivational tools that encourage young people's cooperation through empowerment. Choices build responsibility and commitment, communicate the teacher's respect for students' needs and preferences and can encourage students to perform a particular behavior.

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Student-Centered Teaching: A Look at Student Choice in the Classroom

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Student-Centered Teaching: A Look at Student Choice in the Classroom

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7 Ways to Hack Your Classroom to Include Student Choice

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7 Ways to Hack Your Classroom to Include Student Choice

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Teaching and LearningLet it go: Giving students choices

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Teaching and LearningLet it go: Giving students choices

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Give students a choice of how they learn and how they demonstrate their learning to truly empower them.

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Choice and Rigor: Achieving a Balance in Middle School Reading/Language Arts Classrooms in the Era of the Common Core

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Choice and Rigor: Achieving a Balance in Middle School Reading/Language Arts Classrooms in the Era of the Common Core

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Abstract

While the advantages of reading workshops are well known (Atwell, 1998),there is currently a debate among scholars, practitioners, and politicians about the use of instructional/independent level texts in light of the Common Core Standards' end-of-year requirement for students to be reading at grade level (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). Particularly in middle school, where motivation to read often declines, a workshop approach can help students develop and strengthen their interest in reading. A classroom survey completed by middle school students in a suburban school district in the Midwestern United States illustrates students' positive response to a reading workshop approach (Atwell). However, students must also be able to read grade-level text proficiently. Using a combination of workshop and instruction with grade-level texts will help support students in reaching the end-of-year standards required by the Common Core.

Recommended Citation

Stevens, N. L. (2016). Choice and Rigor: Achieving a Balance in Middle School Reading/Language Arts Classrooms in the Era of the Common Core. Reading Horizons, 55 (2). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol55/iss2/5

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motivation and reading; readers’ workshop; common core standards

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Choice and Rigor: Achieving a Balance in Middle School Reading/Language Arts Classrooms in the Era of the Common Core

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While the advantages of reading workshops are well known (Atwell, 1998), there is currently a debate among scholars, practitioners, and politicians about the use of instructional/independent level texts in light of the Common Core Standards' end-of-year requirement for students to be reading at grade level (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010).

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Learning Outcomes of Project-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning Activities (Thailand)

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Learning Outcomes of Project-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning Activities (Thailand)

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ERIC - Learning Outcomes of Project-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning Activities, Online Submission, 2010

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Problem statement: Organization of science learning activities is necessary to rely on various methods of organization of learning and to be appropriate to learners. Organization of project-based learning activities and inquiry-based learning activities are teaching methods which can help students understand scientific knowledge. It would be more efficient.

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On the duality of leadership (in the classroom)

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On the duality of leadership (in the classroom)

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Are Choice-Making Opportunities Needed in the Classroom? Using Self- Determination Theory to Consider Student Motivation and Learner Empowerment

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Are Choice-Making Opportunities Needed in the Classroom? Using Self- Determination Theory to Consider Student Motivation and Learner Empowerment

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Challenge based learning: Andi Bodeau and Ryan Semans at TEDxBurnsvilleED

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Challenge based learning: Andi Bodeau and Ryan Semans at TEDxBurnsvilleED

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Challenge Based Learning: Students as Lesson Developers Andi Bodeau and Ryan Semans at TEDxBurnsvilleED Andi Bodeau, Bloomington Public Schools Andi Bodeau is the elementary technology coordinator for Bloomington, Minn., Public Schools. She has worked in education for 20 years as a social studies teacher, media specialist and technology integration specialist.