Solitary leadership doesn’t work very well because no leader knows everything. Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn share strategies to help school leaders systematically build leadership capacity among their staffs and capitalize on the talents of informal leaders.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
