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Association for Middle Level Education

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Planting the Seeds of Innovation

Four steps to build capacity for long-term innovation

Innovation has become a widely-used term in education with a variety of interpretations. Generally, innovation implies novelty and inventiveness that leads to improvement and thus, is considered a positive...

Author: David C. Barrett, Christy S. Murray, Veronica L. Miller
Number of views (4019)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Leadership

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Using Graphic Novels to Open the Gateway for Struggling Readers

The benefits of using graphic novels in the social studies classroom

The standards in current education reform movements stress the importance of strengthening students' content-area literacy skills. This means that social studies teachers must draw on powerful texts. The problem is...

Author: Jeremiah Clabough
Number of views (12281)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Language Arts and Literacy Teaching

Tags: Student Engagement Reading Social Studies

Leadership and Organization

There are striking parallels between the work of a middle school leader and a chef. Having done both jobs—though my role was more that of a cook—I can attest to these similarities with firsthand knowledge...

Author: Dru Tomlin
Number of views (2269)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Leadership

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Going "Old School" to End School

One middle school gives students a personal send-off

On the last day of school for the past six years, after hiking a small mountain near our school in Vermont, we gather in the shade of venerable maples for a final ceremony with the eighth grade class. After each...

Author: Ryan Becker, Beth Hayslett
Number of views (10394)/Comments (0)/

Topics: School Culture/Climate Transitions to/from Middle School

Tags: Transition to High School

Moving into Action: Middle Level Learners as Change Agents

Robust learning happens when students have choice and voice in curriculum.

"Students in the middle grades … have the ability to perceive deep truths and are making decisions that will affect the way they live the rest of their lives. This transitional time between childhood and...

Author: Maggie McHugh, Penny Reedy, Ann Yehle
Number of views (10921)/Comments (0)/

Topics: School Culture/Climate Teaching

Tags: Student Engagement Student Motivation Democratic Classroom Inquiry-based Learning

Cheating and Plagiarizing

Ben reads below grade level, and knows that if he whines about how unfair school is, his dad will cave in and do most of the work for him. Jacqueline knows how to do the math, but she doesn't think she should...

Author: Rick Wormeli
Number of views (47332)/Comments (1)/

Topics: Classroom Management Organizational Structures Teaching

Tags: Rick Wormeli Discipline

Changing Our World

How a daily rotating schedule positively impacted the culture of our school

"If you want something you've never had, you've got to do something you've never done." —Anonymous How many of us remember that last class of the day? As students, we all zoned out by that time, and it always...

Author: Liz James
Number of views (9523)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Middle School Concept Organizational Structures

Tags: Scheduling

From the Eyes of a Junior Teacher Candidate

It was so much easier building relationships with teachers in elementary, middle, and high school. In college, on the other hand, building relationships is far more challenging. You typically only have a professor for...

Author: Haley Johnston
Number of views (7755)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Inspiration Teaching

Tags: New Teachers

Home Supports and Routines for Middle School Success

As a lifelong educator, I have realized that implementing some consistent structures and routines at home with my own children have significantly contributed to their success as students. In talking with many of the...

Author: Norman Edwards
Number of views (11195)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Family and Community

Tags: Parent Involvement

Differentiation for Families

How developing a Dream Team can promote student success

Many years ago, after a meeting about a student with the child's grandmother, I realized the short-sightedness of my communication salutation, "Dear Parents." At the time, I switched it to "Dear Families," but lately,...

Author: Amber Chandler
Number of views (8878)/Comments (0)/

Topics: Family and Community Teaching