Next week, I’ll begin posting updated thematic compilations of posts from the first six years of this blog’s existence.
Today, though, I thought readers might be interested in seeing a list of the 10 most popular posts over the last 12 months. A number of them appeared on earlier dates, and are “oldies but goodies":
1. Several Ways We Can Teach Social Studies More Effectively—Part One
Stephen Lazar, Bill Bigelow, and Sarah Kirby-Gonzalez are contributors to this post.
2. How to Practice Restorative Justice in Schools
Shane Safir, Jen Adkins, Timothy Hilton, Crystal T. Laura, and Mark Katz share their commentaries on applying restorative practices in schools.
3. The Best Ways to Engage Students in Learning
Responses in this column come from Julia Thompson, Myron Dueck, Bryan Harris, and Debbie Silver.
4. Classroom Strategies to Foster a Growth Mindset
Professor Carol Dweck and Dr. Lisa Blackwell, the co-founders of the organization designed to help schools be more effective in helping students develop growth mindsets, are the co-authors of this guest response.
5. ‘Doing’ Geography Instead of ‘Studying’ It
Guest responses in this post come from Kelly Young, from whom I’ve learned more about teaching than from anyone else; Elisabeth Johnson, who is the best social studies teacher I’ve ever seen; middle school educator Lisa Butler; and Matt Podbury, who teaches geography at an international school in France.
6. So, You Want To Be A Principal?
Justin Baeder, Allan R. Bonilla, and Josh Stumpenhorst share their reflections.
7. 10 Elements Of Effective Instruction
This post includes pieces from Jim Burke and David B. Cohen, as well as comments from readers.
8. Ways to Use Class Time During the Last Two Weeks Of School
This post offers suggestions from two exceptional teacher authors: Roxanna Elden and Donalyn Miller.
9. Several Ways to Connect With Disengaged Students
Assistant Principal Jim Peterson and author Jim Anderson share their suggestions. Jim’s downloadable instructions for conducting “walk-and-talks” with students seemed to particularly strike a chord with readers.
10. Ways To Teach Globalization
Four educators—John T. Spencer, Diana Laufenberg, Jennifer D. Klein, and Jason Flom—respond to this issue.