“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.
With the next school year not too far over the horizon, 7th grade teacher Laurie Hornik has tips for getting off to a strong start. She suggests skipping traditional ice breakers and instead introducing the class community by exploring what you will be learning together.
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.
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.
Getting students to show their reasoning isn’t about adding one more step, writes math coach Mona Iehl. It’s about redefining how math learning happens and coming to see that students learn not through memorizing steps, but through reasoning, discussion, and exploration.
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.
Artificial Intelligence / STEM By Design
by Anne Jolly · Published 05/20/2025 · Last modified 06/28/2025
Every student needs to understand AI basics, including its potential and problems. They need to be aware of current AI tools and understand how to use them. Perhaps most important, they need to understand the social and ethical issues AI can create. Anne Jolly shares ways to get students started.
In her latest look into the power of scaffolding to boost students’ learning, education consultant and author Barbara R. Blackburn centers on a traditional but very effective strategy: offering students graphic organizers. She shares seven examples with tips on how each one supports learning.
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.
Resources / Summer Reading & Learning
by Susan Curtis · Published 05/09/2025 · Last modified 05/26/2025
How can teachers help students enjoy reading and learning during summer following another challenging year? Visit MiddleWeb’s expanded resource for Summer 2025, where you’ll find teacher ideas and heaps of book and online suggestions.
