Tag: Guidance

Creating Safe Spaces—Four Lessons Learned

Taking time to listen to and learn from students makes a difference Emily, one of my former students, was in seventh-grade when a close friend leaned over to share a secret. “I’m bisexual,” Alison* told her. “I like guys and girls” (from Emily’s blog at https://jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/education-allyship) After that, Emily suddenly noticed how often classmates insulted

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Four Ways to Help Students Be Their Best Selves

How educators can help students repair damaged relationships and make behavioral changes The eighth-grade girl approached Tom Adams in the cafeteria. “Dylan just asked out Samantha as a joke,” she said. “Now he’s laughing about it with his friends, and Samantha is sitting at our table crying.” Adams, the principal of Newfane Middle School in

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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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Help Your Students Combat Cruelty by Making Kindness Go Viral

Four ideas to encourage middle schoolers to choose kindness In recent years, there has been a renewed focus on intentionally fostering kindness and practicing peer respect. We don’t want youth to simply not do the wrong thing, but do what is right instead—treat their peers with respect, compassion, and empathy. To be sure, sometimes educators

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