After teaching sixth grade math and science my first two years, I was extremely nervous and apprehensive to become a robotics teacher. I did not study robotics in college, and I had never, ever pictured myself in this...

Growing up in rural Nebraska there were three things I knew I would take away from my upbringing: a tenacious work ethic, a strong sense of community, and an obsessive passion for Nebraska football. Legendary football...

This is part 2 in a two-part series on the benefits of video games both in and out of the classroom. Part 1 covers practice and patience, teamwork, socializing, and leadership. Business Acumen While Monopoly may be...

Everyday Leadership Object Prompt A Please take a few minutes to think about characteristics of leaders you know and respect. Then choose an object from the table that...

Does this sound familiar? Advisory programs? What a waste of time! Students just goof around. Advisory programs? Great idea, but who's going to put it together? I'm way too busy already. Advisory programs? What...

I'm a sucker for a good Taylor Swift song. As a 32-year-old middle grades educator I feel confident enough to put that in writing, especially in this venue. The weeks before I began teaching outside of Houston, Texas,...

Everyone has heard the idiom, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." In our busy, sometimes hectic classrooms, our squeaky wheels—our most extroverted and outgoing learners—are most likely to attract the...

Three years ago an eighth grade class of mine had a blog project called "Dear Terrorist" where students researched their topics and wrote letters to anyone considering (or participating in) a decision that could harm...

Middle level education is currently placing an emphasis on integrating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classes into curriculums around the nation, as well as involving more students in STEM...

On the first day of school in Chicago, I encountered a room full of Iraqi, Nepalese, and West African refugee students. Timid, cautious, and nervous, they sat in Room 34 with visible trepidation. Someone with an equal...