An exploding mixture! A cloud in a bottle! Every student's hand in the air to volunteer. Everyone's laughing. Sounds like an educator's dream. But when the dust (or simulated volcano) settles, it is often difficult to...

Best practices in social studies education have changed significantly over the last six years. With the release of the Common Core State Standards and its state variations, along with the C3 Framework by the National...

As societal pressures intensify and expectations push educators to improve achievement rates, create emotionally healthy environments, and make safety a priority, there is an increasing need to infuse joy into the...

Most teachers actively root for their students to succeed. They are often more committed to student learning than the students themselves. Even with the best of intentions, teachers frequently sabotage their students'...

Perhaps one of the most tenuous places to find yourself in as an educator is the moment a topic is broached in class that has multiple perspectives—particularly when students have an unexpected stance on the...

For too long, assessment has been something that is done to learners, and not with learners. Assessment has the power to build confidence, increase hope, and develop strong, reflective learners when used correctly....

Evaluating student performance using progressive assessment practices seems to have some people misled regarding its purpose. As my district has moved towards standards-based reporting of student progress, we find...

With the demand for increased accountability in education today, we must select the most effective assessment approaches to use with our students. Rezaei and Lovorn's article, "Reliability and Validity of Rubrics for...

If you ask many of our middle school students what service-learning is, they often come up with an image of someone on the side of the road in an orange jumpsuit. We are not talking about forced service due to a legal...

During the middle school years young adolescents not only become aware of the changes associated with physical and emotional maturity, but they also adjust to new learning standards and expectations. The goals of...