What does co-teaching look like in practice? Providing professional development on collaboration, inclusion and co-teaching can not be under emphasized. How are both teachers planning together? What is being planned? Co-teaching enables teachers to work together within the same classroom. Both will share the instructional duties or responsibilities within the curriculum. The ultimate goal to improve academic progress of all students while maintaining proper compliance's for students with learning disabilities. Co-teaching comes with the task of developing a working relationship among educators that fuels the power of teaching with the excitement of learning.

There are many school factors that affect the success of culturally diverse students – the school's atmosphere and overall attitudes toward diversity, involvement of the community, and culturally responsive curriculum, to name a few. Of all of these factors, the personal and academic relationships between teachers and their students may be the most influential. This relationship has been referred to as the "core relationship" of learning – the roles of teachers and students, the subject matter, and their interaction in the classroom. (ERIC EC Digest #E584, Author: Jane Burnette, 1999).

Some instructional strategies allow educators to form a stronger teaching and learning connection with their culturally diverse students. Some strategies demonstrate standard practices of excellent teaching. While other are catered to assisting with students from diverse cultures. How an educator embraces the diversity from the students and parents or guardians can have a profound impact on academics. Great teachers find ways to reach students and provide the environment that allow learning to thrive.

Teachers incorporate writing in math class to help students reflect on their learning, deepen their understanding of important concepts by explaining and providing examples of those concepts, and make important connections to real-life applications of the math they are learning. Teachers use the writing assignments to assess student understanding of important concepts, student proficiency in explaining and using those concepts and each student's attitude toward learning mathematics. Writing in mathematics is a win-win for both teacher and student. Although it may be difficult to introduce this practice, it is well worth the effort. Look for simple ways to incorporate short writings throughout daily lessons and longer writings over the course of weeks or math units. - mathwire.com

Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it and understand its meaning. An individual's ability to comprehend text is influenced by their traits and skills, one of which is the ability to make inferences. In today’s world of academia, students are expected to perform at even higher levels. Understanding the reading material provides students with the ability to process the information to make better decisions. This workshop will provide K-2 educators with strategies to incorporate into their current teaching practices.

Introduction

Welcome to Improving Reading Comprehension: Middle School, an online professional development course geared primarily for educators serving students in middle school. Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it and understand its meaning. Reading comprehension can always be improved and enhanced as students prepare to advance. An individual's ability to comprehend text is influenced by their traits and skills, one of which is the ability to make inferences. In today’s world of academia, students are expected to perform at even higher levels. Understanding the reading material provides students with the ability to process the information to make better decisions. This course will provide educators with strategies to incorporate into their current teaching practices.

This course will focus on the following areas:

• Developed ways for Strategic reading for students

• Infuse and promote constant comprehension with your students

• Building a strong vocabulary for your students

• Implement ways of increasing the fluency of student reading: Speed, Accuracy, Expression

Bullying! An issue that has far been overlooked even when guidelines are in place! What good are bullying prevention plans when not implemented correctly? Teachers, administrators, staff, students and family must be involved! How many incidents could have been avoided if the situation was handled better? Reflection on all practices always help to retool and refocus!

Some of the most academically successful educators understand how to correctly use the energy of students to propel learning. The learning process is amazing if you find time to see it. Are you so stressed/focused with students reaching benchmarks, milestones and reaching objectives that you can’t enjoy the learning process? After all the preparation, assessments, new strategies, training and professional development what’s left? What do you have left in the tank? Take time to enjoy your students even the most challenging behaviors. If not, you may become unhappy, irritated, unmotivated and not productive.

Teachers need to expose students to a variety of motivating non-fiction texts that are challenging. There should be a plethora of oral and reading activities to help close some of the reading gaps (teaching.monster.com). Several studies have found a correlation between the reading of nonfiction and the development of literacy skills. Generally, students who read magazines and nonfiction books have higher average reading proficiencies than those who do not (Campbell, Kapinus, & Beatty, 1995). Also, nonfiction that presents concepts and vocabulary in a concrete way can help teach literary skills and can provide a bridge to textbooks for non-native as well as native English speakers (Hadaway, Vardell, & Young, 2002).