MiddleWeb

Place-Based Education for Authentic Learning

MiddleWeb — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 21:36:44 +0000

For schools striving to make learning more relevant, more engaging, and more connected to students’ lives, The Power of Place offers both an inspiring call to action and a practical blueprint. With PBE, the world truly becomes the classroom, writes Michael C. McLaughlin.

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Reflecting on Old-School Tips for New Teachers

MiddleWeb — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:03:59 +0000

In a world rapidly being reshaped by AI, caring for the genius of the individual human in the school setting – student and teacher – will become desperately important. Books like The First Days of School still provide a springboard for success, says veteran teacher Dina Strasser.

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Creating Social Studies Lessons with Gemini AI

MiddleWeb — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 19:55:46 +0000

Sarah Cooper has been considering how best to use AI as a partner in lesson planning. She shares her experience in querying Gemini to create place-based lessons before an immersive trip to New Orleans, and how the process led her to reengage with venerable social studies sites.

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Fresh Strategies for Character, Theme & Craft

MiddleWeb — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 22:08:21 +0000

In The Heart of Fiction what stood out most was how seamlessly Kate Roberts connects character and theme to the recognition of craft and author’s purpose. The strategies are organized into clear, actionable steps that fit directly into daily instruction, says Rebecca Crockett.

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Imagine PD as Adventure — Trekking with a Friend

MiddleWeb — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:57:41 +0000

Many mid-career teachers may be looking for renewed energy, new challenges, or a different way to think about their work. Micki Caskey and Karen Swanson believe "mutual mentoring can help them take the next step." Learn about their ideas for trekking with teacher friends.

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Using Self-Coaching to Succeed as a Principal

MiddleWeb — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 16:12:09 +0000

Principal self-coaching is the process of using key coaching concepts to guide professional and personal growth through self-reflection, posing powerful questions to yourself, and developing a mindset that allows you to manage time, overcome challenges and achieve life balance.

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A Framework to Disrupt the Monolingual Bias

MiddleWeb — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 19:02:56 +0000

Lillian Ardell’s Disrupting the Monolingual Bias serves as a mirror, a map, and a call to action. It challenges us to reflect honestly on how our expectations, assessments, and instructional choices position language as a problem, a right, or a resource, says Melinda Stewart.

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Rethinking Professional Learning: “Me” to “We”

MiddleWeb — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 22:34:40 +0000

The best professional learning doesn't ask teachers to choose between practical strategies and meaningful relationships. It offers both, writes literacy specialist Kendra Cameron-Jarvis. She includes 3 low-lift shifts for your next PD session to foster a fresh mindset.

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Make Student Podcasts a Pleasure to Watch

MiddleWeb — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 16:09:23 +0000

“No one cares how well a talk was created if they are bored to tears listening to it,” writes Erik Palmer. In her 8th grade classes, Rachel draws on Palmer's effective speaking framework to prepare student teams for their "I’m Passionate About..." podcast and video projects.

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Build Collaboration in MS & HS Co-Teaching

MiddleWeb — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:09:08 +0000

Dieker, Stephan and Smith clearly understand that co-teaching success requires more than goodwill between two teachers; it requires whole-school support, clear roles, and a shared commitment to every student in the room, writes veteran educator Sarah Gaetano. Highly recommended.

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