Seventh-grade teacher Laura Merrill looked around the room and asked her colleagues to close their computers. "If our students are brave enough to present to the entire staff," she said, "we can give them our full...

From theme parks to movies, the Walt Disney Company is world-renowned for the high caliber of its customer experience. And, while many perceive how well they do what they do to be Disney "magic," it's not magic at...

As a central office administrator, I valued time in schools talking informally with students. One year I went to a school every Tuesday to assist with student supervision while teachers met in professional groups....

Google Apps, now called G Suite, is really catching on in classrooms around the United States and beyond. But the way we think about its tools, such as Docs, Sheets, or Slides, is stuck in first gear. It is easy for...

A kaleidoscope contains mirrors and colored glass, pebbles, or beads whose reflections create complex patterns of frequently changing colors and shapes when rotated. The vibrant and intricate images, generated by...

Many people have a misconception that administrators are the only definitive leaders in a school, and while they do hold degrees in leadership, they do not hold sole possession of the trait itself. Rather, in...

Transitioning in and out of middle school is a process that millions of students have done since the inception of the middle school concept. Middle school is a transitional time for all students, and students make...

Graphic T-shirts have always had a special place in my life. One of my favorite pieces of clothing in my closet is an old "Schoolhouse Rock!" T-shirt. The shirt features the old PBS television show's classic logo...

In September, my seventh grade students gave me a quick social snapshot of their class. As their new school counselor, I had asked them to submit their thoughts anonymously in a box, and they didn't hold back. Their...

Many young adolescents desire to "blend in" by hiding or shedding certain aspects of their identities due to social pressures. How can I help students view differences as strengths? This is part 2 in "Mentor Me"...