Active Learning

Collaboration and Connections: How to Transform the School Library into a Vibrant Learning Hub

The middle school library is an evolving space. What was once consistently a quiet space for reading has changed into a versatile space with a variety of functions, depending on the school. The Library Learning Commons at Scotts Ridge Middle School demonstrates how this evolution can create a library that serves as a hub of

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It’s The Holiday Season, So Whoop-De-Do: Managing the Holiday Madness

The holiday season is upon us and that can mean madness in our classrooms. Why is that? The truth is, we are often the primary culprit of the chaos. We spend months tirelessly pre-teaching routines and procedures and establishing behavior expectations, only to ease up on them or even abandon them during the holiday season.

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Research to Practice: Addressing Student Motivation in the Middle Grades

About a month into her student teaching semester, Melissa voiced frustration about one student who just would not engage in social studies class. Gregory seemed disinterested and apathetic, and he seldom completed his assignments. Melissa was determined to make a breakthrough, but how? How could she get Gregory engaged in social studies? How could she

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Is It Just a Game? Debunking 10 Common Myths about Game-Based Learning

You’ve heard it before, “I have no time to teach this fluffy stuff.” Is game time in class wasted time? Students will tell you they learn best when instruction is “fun,” but many educators still feel that games take up too much valuable instructional time and require too much planning and effort. Research in possibilities

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Middle School Students Performing Soccer Drills

Athletics in the Middle School Classroom: Coaching Components and Their Connection to the Middle School Classroom

My past year has been spent watching my daughter on the soccer field. As I sat on the sidelines observing their coach work with them on drills and game plays, I was impressed by their patience, the positive feedback they provided, and their ability to pick out what each player’s as well as the overall

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