Growth Through the Middle Years

04/14/2023

Are your students interested in new and emerging technologies like ChatGPT💻, TikTok🤳 and cryptocurrencies 🤑?

Want to integrate meaningful digital literacy in rigorous standards-aligned reading comprehension lessons?

If so, the discounted ‘New Technology: Reading Comprehension Bundle’ is perfect for your digital or in-person classroom, homework program or home-school.

Are your students interested in new and emerging technologies like ChatGPT, TikTok and cryptocurrencies? Want to integrate meaningful digital literacy in rigorous, standards-aligned reading comprehension lessons?If so, my 'New Technology: Reading Comprehension Bundle' is perfect for your digital or....

04/06/2023

Are your students passionate about sports? Do you need rigorous, reading comprehension and writing lessons that connect to topics your students are enthusiastic about? If so, my ‘Sports Reading Comprehension Bundle’ is perfect for your ELA (English) Grade 6 - 10 classroom or homework program!

Are your students passionate about sports? Do you need rigorous, reading comprehension and writing lessons that connect to topics your students are enthusiastic about?If so, my 'Sports Reading Comprehension Bundle' is perfect for your ELA (English) or Health classroom.Included in the bundle are full...

02/16/2023

After five years developing curriculum at Growth Through the Middle Years, I’m excited to launch Topical Reading Hub - a free hub of high-interest reading comprehension articles for teens, teachers and the young at heart!

Engaging reads for teens, teachers and the young at heart

12/11/2022

Is the 2022 World Cup in Qatar a celebration or corruption of the world game? How did Lionel Messi come to be known as 'la pulga automica?' Explore these topics and more with your students while building their reading, comprehension and writing skills during and after the 2022 Qatar World Cup. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Qatar-World-Cup-2022-Reading-Comprehension-BUNDLE-Digital-and-Print-8724798

09/25/2022

Is TikTok bad for kids’ brains? Is it bad for my brain? These are questions I’ve been asking myself since I first encountered the app in 2019. If you’ve asked yourself the same questions, I’ve written a more personal post about my own experiences with TikTok, combined with a short review of the available evidence. If you’ve observed or felt the effects of TikTok in the classroom, at home or in the community – both positive and negative – I’d love to hear from you.

Middle and High School Curriculum Is TikTok Bad for Kids’ Brains? A Teacher’s Perspective September 25, 2022September 25, 2022 Michael Like so many teachers and parents, it was the dances that I noticed first. Compared to the fistfights I broke up over Instagram comments, or the cry of adolescen...

09/24/2022

This has to be my favourite teacher meme out now...

08/25/2022

While I’ve thoroughly rinsed my other social media channels with my Sydney Morning Herald article, here’s a link to the original version. It starts with an extended Simpsons analogy that perhaps made it less publishable, but was (in my mind) lots of fun and rather apt.

Australian Curriculum The Devil is in the Details August 25, 2022September 13, 2022 Michael This is the first version of an article that was later published in the Sydney Morning Herald. While I did pitch this version, I was forced to concede (as my wife gently suggested) that starting a serious art...

08/02/2022

It’s always awesome to hear the Federal Government is considering a pay rise for “master teachers”, but I haven’t heard of many teachers leaving the profession because of the money. To really address the teacher shortage, Governments need to look at systemic solutions to the reasons why so many skilled teachers are leaving. I’ve published my take on key solutions at Open Forum. As always would love feedback, critiques and alternative points of view 🙂

Instead of a ‘catfish curriculum’ which looks fantastic on paper but disappoints in reality, Australian schools need a curriculum that builds on the strengths of the teaching workforce and empowers young people in every part of the country.