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Assessing Assessments: Six Useful Strategies

Diverse ways for students to show their thinking. The need for effective assessment is an important topic for both school administrators and classroom teachers. Practical ideas and fresh concepts are essential, and meaningful assessments require both of these elements. The following six assessment strategies may be used in any middle school classroom where student achievement,

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How can teachers help students become more self-aware?

This is part 1 of 5 in “Mentor Me” questions about Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). There are five components of SEL: Self-Awareness, Responsible Decision–Making, Relationship Skills, Social Awareness, and Self-Management. Classrooms where teachers both overtly and organically teach these crucial skills help students develop essential skills and dispositions. Like many teachers, I post a “daily

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Throw Out Your History Textbook

A case for primary source analysis. Jay Leno: Debbie, where you from? Debbie: South. South San Francisco. Jay Leno: South San Francisco. OK, and you’re a citizen of the United States? Debbie: I sure am. Jay Leno: Born here? Debbie: Sure was. Jay Leno: What country did we fight in the Revolutionary War? Debbie: [Pause] France. Jay Leno: What does the Emancipation Proclamation mean What

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Talking Tech for the PBL Classroom

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional model that encourages active participation of students throughout the learning process. The Buck Institute describes PBL as, “a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge” (http://www.bie.org/about/what_pbl).

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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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