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Play, Move, Calm, Think: An Advisory Approach with Student Choice at the Center

As you enter the classroom, the lights are dimmed and a dozen students are scattered throughout. Some are folding origami; another is using a wood burning kit to etch a magnificent dragon plaque. Others are reading quietly. You have entered the “Calm room.” It’s one of four rooms that 6th graders at Olmsted Falls Middle

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Middle School Mental Health: 6 Steps Educators can Take to Address Student Needs

It is a sad fact that in any classroom of thirty middle school students, approximately six might be experiencing some form of mental illness. Adolescence is a particularly important time, as physical, social, and emotional changes combined with exposure to risk factors can put young people at risk. Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression,

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Let’s Create Classrooms Focused on What Makes Adolescents Special

This article is part of AMLE’s showcase of work by aspiring middle grades educators. The author, Ashley Wilson, is an AMLE student member majoring in Education at the University of Richmond. We welcome student perspectives, and encourage those in teacher preparation programs to submit articles to membercenter@amle.org. Learn more about AMLE’s Collegiate Middle Level Association

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What do we need to hear from our teachers right now? A conversation with the National Teacher of the Year Finalists

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) recently announced the four exemplary educators from across the country named finalists for the 2022 National Teacher of the Year. Among them are: Autumn Rivera, the 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year, is a sixth-grade science teacher who encourages students to make a difference now, rather than

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Research to Practice: Implementing Genius Projects in the Middle Grades

A genius project—also called genius hour (Davis, 2022; Mulvahill, 2018), enigma mission (George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2019), or passion project (Bowersox, 2020; Wormeli, 2018)—is a form of personalized learning in which students engage in sustained, self-directed inquiry for part of the school day. Genius projects are a natural fit for the middle grades because they

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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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