As educators, we take a mental snapshot of our students. We figure the funny seventh grader who goofs off with boys in the hallway has plenty of friends to sit with at lunch. We assume the cynical loner who tries to...

Now we begin an exciting journey with the letter C, which is one of the most important letters in the world of middle level education. From the shape of it, it resembles an opening, a welcoming place, a safe...

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...

You can't write an ABCs blog about middle level education with the letter A and not write about Adolescents. Not only are they the reason why we celebrate Middle Level Education Month in March, but they are the main...

Now that Valentine's Day is behind us, let's talk honestly about love and appreciation. The most important part of Valentine's Day is about what you do after Valentine's Day. It's about how you show your appreciation...

I wake up and roll out of bed. What shall I eat? Cereal? Bagel? Breakfast bar? I have choices. No one tells me what to eat; I eat what I want and what I feel I need—limited only by what is available. I go to my...

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to write about anger. Sounds about right. Before I was a middle school teacher and administrator, I was a young adolescent. And as I've...

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....

Access: Why would we look at middle level education through the lens of access? What effect does access have on specific stakeholders—including ourselves? How does access (or lack thereof) affect teaching and...

Four Ways to Help Students Take a More Active Role in the Feedback Process. Much has been written about feedback in recent years that most educators are acutely aware of the powerful influence it can have on student...