MiddleWeb

Your 7th Grader Can Focus for 12 Minutes

MiddleWeb — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:43:28 +0000

When direct instruction runs past a seventh grader's minutes-long attention span, more explanation rarely produces more learning. Gail Boushey and Allison Behne offer five research-based strategies to hold the attention of middle schoolers, even with a scripted curriculum.

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Strategies to Nurture Kids’ Creative Thinking

MiddleWeb — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:58:28 +0000

Creativity for Learning is a book that teachers at any level of experience, in any subject, can use to build engaging, thought-provoking activities that advance student learning. Teacher Chris Wagner found its tools for teaching and assessing creative thinking especially helpful.

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Writing a Novel Helped My Career Make Sense

MiddleWeb — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:01:24 +0000

This year Jay Wamsted fulfilled a dream shared by many teachers – he finished and published a YA novel. "My career isn’t all that unique," he says. "The lessons I’ve learned, the stories that inform my book – they’re of the same stuff that makes up every teacher’s classroom."

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Helping Students Become Skilled Digital Speakers

MiddleWeb — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 15:27:40 +0000

In a digital world where oral communication is showcased and being well-spoken increases chances for professional and social success, take the time to give all your students an effective voice. Erik Palmer has tips to help students understand content, audience and presentation.

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The Tools You Need to Reach STEM’s Potential

MiddleWeb — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:47:13 +0000

STEM by Design maintains a sharp focus on developing a genuine STEM program. Topics include diverse recruitment, developing STEM challenges, engineering design, life skills, tech integration and more. For all grades 4-8 STEM educators, says teacher educator Michelle Schwartze.

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Self-Coaching Is Key to a Principal’s Success

MiddleWeb — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:15:20 +0000

Rather than let challenging job demands take precedence over principals’ mental health and their professional and personal growth, Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn lay out keys to developing self-coaching strategies that benefit principals and their communities.

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Why We Have Smart Tech & Shrinking Brains

MiddleWeb — Sun, 31 May 2026 19:43:46 +0000

Technology in our classrooms isn't the enemy, writes Dr. Sonya Murray-Darden. Substitution is. Teachers can't control how seductive the tools become. They can control whether the thinking still happens in the room. When students do the thinking themselves, learning accelerates.

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Equitable Instruction for K-8 English Learners

MiddleWeb — Thu, 28 May 2026 22:25:21 +0000

Understanding multilingual students, their languages, histories, and cultures, is foundational to making content comprehensible and meaningful. Equity, says Valentina Gonzalez, lives at the intersection of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and students’ seeing themselves valued.

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Building a Pipeline for Middle School Leaders

MiddleWeb — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:02:05 +0000

Thanks to an extensive career as a teacher, principal and district leader, Jen Schwanke can testify that the vast majority of middle school educators feel deeply connected to the unique journey of adolescent learners. She believes MS principals should be drawn from that pool.

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10 Movement Ideas to Avoid Mid-Lesson Slump

MiddleWeb — Mon, 25 May 2026 16:27:15 +0000

Move to learn! Prevent those mid-class energy slumps with movement and active learning strategies. Master teacher Kelly Owens describes 10 engaging, low-prep activities she uses to re-energize every student – from the quiet to the restless – to be their best all class long.

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