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Dealing with Stress

Insights from and for principals Exemplary middle schools focus on health and wellness. While this focus may be primarily on our students’ wellness, we also need to focus on the wellness of our faculty and administrators. It is a fact that, as teachers, we are under a lot of stress. I believe that morale is

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What to Do When a Parent Is Incarcerated

New information helps educators understand how to work with students In the August 2011 issue of Middle Ground, I encouraged teachers to be proactive with students whose parents are in jail or prison. I provided a brief overview of the perceived academic disadvantages for children of incarcerated parents and suggested how teachers, counselors, and administrators could

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Ten Mindfulness Strategies for Educators

Helping you achieve work-life balance Last September, Eva waited impatiently at the copier, her blood pressure rising as she realized she would be late for class yet again. She could barely make eye contact with her colleagues, her aggravation impeding any casual conversation. At a staff meeting that afternoon, Eva overheard two teachers talking about

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Awards Honor the Middle Level Heritage

Awards given by the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) include the John H. Lounsbury Distinguished Service Award and the Educator of the Year (formerly the Distinguished Educator Award). Conversation about the purpose of these awards range from personal gratification to career advancement. My belief and those of former recipients indicate that these awards serve as a means to

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No More Fears and Tears: Transitioning to Middle School

Building a multifaceted plan makes the difference “I’m nervous about forgetting my locker combination.” “I’m worried about getting lost.” “I’m nervous about keeping track of my schedule and having more homework.” “What if my child no longer hugs me as she steps off the bus?” Middle School. These two words instill fear in parents and

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AMLE Celebrates Inaugural Schools of Distinction

AMLE recognized its inaugural class of Schools of Distinction earlier this month, in conjunction with the organization’s 49th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. The twelve schools were selected for their fervent commitment to implementing the essential attributes and characteristics of successful middle grades schools. In addition to being celebrated during a special awards ceremony, each

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Reimagining School – What should it look like and who is it for?

Cornelius Minor and Kass Minor help #AMLE22 attendees find their bottom lines as educators Cornelius and Kass Minor believe that kids don’t just learn in school. They become. It’s an attitude reflective of what we know about middle grades best practice, making them the perfect keynoters for #AMLE22 and our return to in-person conference. We

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Kindness is harder than it looks.

Houston Kraft reminds #AMLE22 attendees that connection doesn’t happen by accident. Houston Kraft, author and co-founder of CharacterStrong, took the main stage at #AMLE22 yesterday for his keynote address on Deep Kindness. From the outset, he made clear that he had a mission for those in attendance. “If we want more kindness on our campus,

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