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Association for Middle Level Education

Browse by Topic: Teaching

Tinkering to Learn: A Reflection on a Promising Practice

Providing students with opportunities to explore, wonder, and discover.

Mini-Course Day As I began teaching a thoughtfully designed lesson on conductors and insulators, I was met with blank stares and compliant students, patiently waiting me out. If they weren't such compliant young...

Author: Heidi Stark
Number of views (2624)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Teaching

Tags: Student Engagement Student Motivation

Distance Learning: The Wave of the Future

Students collaborate from afar using online tools.

Geographically, it did not make sense. Middletown and Pocomoke Middle Schools, both located in Maryland, are approximately 200 miles away, and students in both classrooms were discussing the same piece of literature....

Author: Brian Cook, Kristi Schmidt, Katherine Shaffer
Number of views (1438)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Teaching Technology

Tags: Distance learning

Scaffold for Individual and Group Success

Supporting students' cognitive development.

As a first year teacher in a seventh grade classroom, I had several experiences that made me question my practice, try new strategies, and learn from my students. One particular problem seemed to reappear frequently...

Author: Paige Ferguson
Number of views (1888)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Assessment Teaching

Tags: Peer Coaching

Throw Out Your History Textbook

A case for primary source analysis.

Jay Leno: Debbie, where you from? Debbie: South. South San Francisco. Jay Leno: South San Francisco. OK, and you're a citizen of the United States? Debbie: I sure am. Jay Leno: Born here? Debbie: Sure was. Jay...

Author: Sean Robertson, Vanessa Scanfeld, Chris Cunningham, Vincent Dotoli
Number of views (3065)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Teaching

Tags: Social Studies

How can teachers help students become more self-aware?

This is part 1 of 5 in "Mentor Me" questions about Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). There are five components of SEL: Self-Awareness, Responsible Decision–Making, Relationship Skills, Social Awareness, and...

Author: Amber Chandler
Number of views (1754)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Teaching Young Adolescent Development

Tags: Social Emotional Learning

We Have to Prepare Students for the Next Level, Don't We?

Some universities blame the poor academic performance of their young adult students on the poor quality instruction they think students received in high schools. High schools blame the middle schools, middle schools...

Author: Rick Wormeli
Number of views (8871)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Inspiration Middle School Concept Teaching

Tags:

Talking Tech for the PBL Classroom

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional model that encourages active participation of students throughout the learning process. The Buck Institute describes PBL as, "a teaching method in which students gain...

Author: Kristie Smith
Number of views (1318)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Teaching Technology

Tags: Project Based Learning

A Discussion on Grading? Let Me Get My Helmet

It's time we get on the same page

Although based on a ridiculously small data set, my scientific opinion, given the available information, is that teachers are almost completely pacifistic, choosing discourse and debate over confrontation and conflict...

Author: Guy Gambone
Number of views (3223)/Comments (1)/

Topics: Assessment Teaching

Tags: Grades

Movies and Math Help Make Global Connections

Mathematics is a truly universal language and by its very nature is enriched by, and historically grew because of, the contributions of scholars from around the world, from the Greeks, the Arabs, the Hindus and the...

Author: Alessandra King
Number of views (3214)/Comments (2)/

Topics: Diversity and Social Equity Teaching

Tags: Math Global Learning

Addressing Writer's Block Through Physical Movement

Encouraging student thinking and writing with opportunities for movement.

Almost all students will experience writer's block at one time or another. Helping them work through this common experience with the use of physical activity may add success to the writing process for all students....

Author: John Helgeson
Number of views (5602)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Language Arts and Literacy Teaching Young Adolescent Development

Tags: Active Learning Writing