April 2011 • Volume 14 • Number 4
Motivating Students to Learn and Achieve
Whether it's technology, a personal connection, humor, or a sense of structure, students need a "hook" that keeps them on the road to academic achievement. In this issue of Middle Ground, practitioners offer strategies for motivating students to take charge of their own learning.
Member Access articles are available for purchase.
Editor's Note
Patricia George
One of the highlights of my day is reading the Zits comic strip by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman.
Features
The Power of Empowerment: Having Faith in Students
Nancy M. Doda
Perhaps we underestimate our students' capabilities and their motivation.
Heart over Head: Motivating Reluctant Learners
Charles A. Beaman
Relationships are a key element of motivation.
The Value of Routines and Rituals
Serapha Cruz & Roberto Padilla
Rituals and routines can promote a "culture of learning" and keep students on track.
Get 'Em Talking, Get 'Em Learning
Beverley Romanin
Promote engagement with structured opportunities to talk.
Engagement, Adolescents, and Scar Stories
Jennifer Nichols
Almost everyone has a scar and with it, a story.
On Reflection: The Rewards of Teaching
Angela R. Thomas
It's nice to know you've made a difference.
Building a Web-Enhanced Classroom: A Guide for Teachers
Erin Brighton
The possibilities for blended learning seem endless with technology.
My Educational Philosophy in Five Minutes of Jargon or Less
Folwell Dunbar
How many education buzz words do you recognize?
Building a Sense of Community
Benjamin J. Skaught
One school devoted a day to celebrating their learning community.
In Every Issue
News to Use
Information to promote effective middle level education
Teams in Action
Francine Falk-Ross & George Coffey
ELA Curriculum Gives Students Perspective and Voice
Teaching in the Middle
Rick Wormeli
Building Capacity for Creative Thinking
Click Here
Brenda Dyck
Library 2.0: A Journey of Metamorphosis
Mark of Leadership
Tom Burton
Letting Go of the Berries
Reviews and Resources
Books and resources of interest to middle level educators
Megaphone!
Amusing, interesting, and provocative comments from the field of education
Spotlight on Guidance
Beauty Sleep: Supporting the Healthy Development of Adolescent Girls
Rachael Williams
Maximizing Counselor Involvement in a School-wide Approach to Student Success
Rebecca Bloom, Jennifer Goodstein, & Erika Huck
Copyright © 2011 by National Middle School Association