“Teacher Induction That Works: A Lasting Impact from Day One” by Tara Link and Beth Whitaker is for anyone involved in setting up or improving a mentoring program. Instructional coach Kathee Lamberies finds the book practical, engaging, and full of actionable ideas.
Creating a well-rounded middle school student goes way beyond the textbook! Anne Jolly shares the core learning skills and life skills middle-schoolers need and invites teachers – especially STEM teachers – to take up the challenge to help students achieve their potential.
We want students to achieve in class and on tests, but we also want them to know how to use reading skills to enjoy reading. Reading aloud provides students with opportunities to experience success through thinking alongside their teachers and peers, writes Jennifer Sniadecki.
Given the high level of anxiety among teens today, teachers need to focus more on students’ need for safety. Gravity Goldberg suggests ways to use what we know about the body-brain connection to help kids experience the kind of regulation needed for any learning to happen.
AI should be more than a tool; it could be a true creative partner and not a crutch. It is our job to get our students to that point. Practice at choosing the best words for prompts, refining those prompts, and evaluating and adjusting the responses can help get them there.
Adolescent Development / Book Reviews
by MiddleWeb · Published 05/22/2025 · Last modified 05/23/2025
What do middle graders need from adults, especially their parents? Looking into brain science and social, academic, tech and ethical issues, educator and parent Jody Passanisi asks parents to think back to their own childhoods and then consider how to best support their kids.
If you teach students from immigrant families, EL teacher Dina Strasser is offering her list of “what can I do?” actions to prepare and support them. How you honor your duty of care depends on your students’ needs, your district’s policies and resources, and your political environment.
Endings – whether for middle or high school – are all about what comes next. We help students learn so they will be able to bring their learning forward to face new challenges. Students can benefit from our making these moves more explicit. Laurie Miller Hornik offers strategies.
Teacher Michelle Russell likes to have some short activities on hand, in case she needs to fill extra time during math class. Here she shares several fun fillers that are easy to access, don’t require prep, and increase students’ math fluency, logic skills, or number sense.
We are living in an uncertain time with significant stress on institutions, including schools. Leaders play a critical role in helping their school community weather change and continue their commitment to serving each student. Williamson and Blackburn offer actionable advice.
