middle school Archives

Helping students learn new tech skills–and exceed expectations

August 28, 2024 by Dr. Matias Arellano, The Crockett Foundation

Thanks to collaborative teachers and learning experimentation, these students are discovering that STEAM is the key to their future.

How did the Crockett Foundation’s students, most of whom attend Title I schools and live in historically under-resourced communities, achieve this sort of success? The answer can be…

AR & VR in the Classroom

Integrating VR into your classroom is easier than you think

July 25, 2024 by Sam Schwiebert, Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Integrating virtual reality into classrooms can give students experiences that would otherwise not be possible.

Integrating virtual reality (VR) into your classroom may be easier than you think. With rising demand and innovations in the VR technology space, the present may be the best time…

AI in Education

Michigan Virtual survey highlights K-12 educators’ AI beliefs, needs

July 25, 2024 by Laura Ascione

AI holds near-limitless potential to revolutionize the educational experience for educators and students, spreading equity and efficiency.

A Michigan Virtual survey of more than 1,000 educators from classrooms, districts, and support organizations found higher trust in AI among building and district administrators than within teacher…

Live @ ISTE 2024

BrainPop at 25—New CPO Jay Chakrapani discusses the past, present, and plans for the future.

June 24, 2024June 21, 2024 by Kevin Hogan

Tim and Moby are getting up there. But according to Brainpop Chief Product Officer Jay Chakrapani, they aren’t slowing down. ... Read more

Student Well-Being

3 tips to combat chronic absenteeism in high schools

June 6, 2024 by Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus

Chronic absenteeism rates are highest in high school, with one in three students missing at least 10 percent of their school days.

One surefire way to support student success? Consistent, positive family communication. In elementary school, there’s frequent outreach.

School Management

Why support for students and a strong school culture are key to this middle school principal

June 3, 2024 by Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat

As a middle school principal, Wilcox prioritizes meeting the needs of students, especially post-COVID, when student anxiety is on the rise.

As a high school wrestler many years ago, Jon Wilcox was expected to help coach much younger students who were learning to wrestle. It was a role he…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Can you take algebra in eighth grade? In many cases, the answer is no

April 11, 2024 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

$Algebra is often considered a gateway class, which can set students up for challenging math classes in college and career paths in science and engineering fields$

If you’re an eighth grader who wants to take algebra, can you even take the class? The answer to that question, it turns out, depends a lot on…

Newsline

SpringMath by Sourcewell Receives Highest Possible Ratings from National Center on Intensive Intervention

February 27, 2024 by ESchool News Staff

Staples, Minn. — SpringMath, an award winning, complete MTSS solution for math, recently received the highest possible rating for fall ... Read more

Innovation in Education

Analytics in Action

June 25, 2024February 14, 2024 by Kevin Hogan

Highlights from a recent conversation, where an expert panel shares insights on using analytics unique to their district to optimize recruitment processes, enhance employee engagement, and implement analytics…

Building & Campus Security

A model to reduce school shootings

January 29, 2024 by Patrick V. Fiel Sr., National Security Expert & Rick Shaw, National Pre-Incident Prevention Expert

Two experts are collaborating on new ways school campuses can develop a comprehensive security plan to reduce school shootings.

For three consecutive years, the U.S has had a record high number of school shootings, resulting in a repetitive cycle of grievances, anger, and frustration.

STEM & STEAM Trends

How this middle school teacher gets students to challenge themselves in math

January 23, 2024 by Samantha Lauten, Chalkbeat

$This believes that giving students the opportunity to work on more difficult equations fosters excitement for math.$

When Salvador Quijada, a seventh and eighth grade math teacher at Philip’s Academy Charter School, thinks back on his own journey as a mathematician, he gives credit to…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Elementary-level STEM education fosters our future innovators

January 16, 2024January 15, 2024 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma , Teacher, Chalkville Elementary School

Investing in STEM education from an early age nurtures the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders.

In today's fast-paced world, STEM education has become imperative for global progress. Traditionally, the spotlight on STEM education appears to occur in high school and late middle school…

Classroom Management

5 strategies for turning boredom into brilliance

January 9, 2024 by Jon Oosterman, Learning Specialist, Van Andel Institute for Education

Educators can use boredom in the classroom to their advantage by tailoring their content to meet student needs.

As someone who began teaching in middle school, I’ve had plenty of firsthand experience dealing with boredom in the classroom. Most educators will recognize the signs.

Literacy

When embracing the ‘science of reading,’ we can’t leave out older students

March 12, 2024December 22, 2023 by Shira Engel, Chalkbeat New York

As a new middle school teacher, I was shocked by how many students entered my classroom unable to decode text despite the science of reading.

The day before my first day of teaching middle school in 2018, I decorated my Brooklyn public school classroom with quotes from famous people reflecting on the importance…

Big Deals—Khan Academy Boosts National Civics Bee, AI Tackles Campus Safety, and Stanford Offers Online Math

November 27, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation this month announced the launch of the 2024 National Civics Bee. The competition is ... Read more

COVID in Schools

The pandemic is over–but American schools still aren’t the same

November 21, 2023 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

Many students and educators say school feels closer to normal than it has in over three years, but profound pandemic-era consequences persist.

On a recent Friday at Gary Comer Middle School in Chicago, you had to squint to see signs of the pandemic that upended American education just a few…

Innovation in Education

Unlocking middle school potential: Exploring career education and soft skills

November 28, 2023November 14, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

McGraw Hill’s Patrick Keeney discusses the topic of career and technical education (CTE) in middle schools

In this special edition of Innovations in Education, Content Director Kevin Hogan speaks with McGraw Hill’s Patrick Keeney about various aspects of career and tehcnical education (CTE).

AI in Education

Like it or not, ChatGPT is our new learning partner

December 11, 2023October 13, 2023 by John Bartucz, Teaching Specialist in Learning Technologies, University of Minnesota

ChatGPT is an unreliable learning partner--educators should provide a way for students to show how much help they received.

With so much publicity, it is reasonable to assume that all students from middle school through post-secondary are aware of ChatGPT's power. Whether you like it or not,…

Newsline

Aperture Education Launches Two New Solutions to Cultivate Students’ Social and Emotional Competence

August 18, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

Charlotte N.C. – Aperture Education, the leading provider of research-based social and emotional learning assessments for K-12 schools, has added ... Read more

SEL Trends

Advocating for student mental health starts here

June 20, 2023 by Alma Lopez, Lead School Counselor, Livingston Middle School & ASCA 2022 School Counselor of the Year

With increased awareness of student mental health needs, many districts are examining how to elevate the impact of school counselors

For the last 17 years, I have devoted my career to advocating for comprehensive school counseling programs. This is my passion and the focus of my efforts every…

Increase Student Engagement with 21 Hands-On Science Experiments

October 11, 2023June 7, 2023 by Jeff Festa

Download 21 educator-tested experiments to engage your students in hands-on science learning with Vernier technology. This e-book includes experiments in ... Read more

STEM & STEAM Trends

4 ways to use ChatGPT in your STEM classroom

May 24, 2023 by Allen Antoine, M.Ed., Director of Computer Science Education Strategy for EPIC, University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Advanced Computing Center

AI like ChatGPT isn't going away--educators must helps students understand how to use these tools to enhance their STEM learning experiences.

Back in 2007 when I was teaching Algebra I at the local middle school, the biggest question for mathematics teachers on our campus was whether students could use…

Teacher Well-Being

5 ways to help educators experience more joy

May 2, 2023 by Danielle Sullivan, National Director of Content and Implementation, Curriculum Associates

Helping educators find joy first starts with creating the conditions and providing permission for joyful moments to happen.

I was recently working with middle school educators and asked them about the biggest challenges they are facing. Without skipping a beat, they said dealing with discipline issues,…

Newsline

Carousel Cloud Scales with Indianapolis School District for K-12 Communications

May 1, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – The Metropolitan School District (MSD) of Washington Township in Indianapolis is midway through a district-wide Carousel Cloud ... Read more

STEM & STEAM Trends

How a middle school teacher grew students’ math scores despite pandemic challenges

April 19, 2023 by Amelia Pak-Harvey, Chalkbeat Indiana

$Throughout the pandemic, this middle school math teacher held students to high expectations whether they were learning in person or virtually$

As a senior at Indianapolis’ Ben Davis High School, Jacob Gregory enrolled in an Exploratory Teaching program. He thought of it as an easy way to leave school…

Literacy

As we embrace the ‘science of reading,’ we can’t leave out older students

April 11, 2023 by Shira Engel, Chalkbeat New York

The day before my first day of teaching middle school in 2018, I decorated my Brooklyn public school classroom with quotes from famous people reflecting on the importance…

Newsline

Illinois’ Shiloh CUSD #1 Adds New, Cutting-Edge Edtech Tool to Middle School and High School Curriculum to More Deeply Engage Students in Science

February 8, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

Charlotte, NC — Illinois’ Shiloh CUSD #1 today announced an expansion of its partnership with Discovery Education that adds a ... Read more

KCAV and Rise Vision Help Middle School Use Digital Signage and Social Media App to Boost Student Motivation and Engagement

February 2, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

Derby, Kansas – Derby North Middle School (DNMS) in Derby, Kansas, has found a unique and effective way to build ... Read more

Teacher Professional Development

I’m a first-year teacher. How do I become successful in the classroom?

January 3, 2023 by Dr. Kem Smith, Chalkbeat

For beginning teachers, decide what you value and support students as individuals, build a community of learners, and connect with fellow teachers for support

This is my first year as a teacher and I’m teaching sixth grade, so both my students and I are new to the school. I’m wondering if you…

Newsline

Discovery Museum Celebrates 30 Years of Delivering Hands-On Science in Elementary School Classrooms

December 29, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

Acton, MA – Discovery Museum announced a 30-year milestone for its in-school STEM program, Traveling Science Workshops, having delivered hands-on ... Read more

Curriculum & Assessment

An OER curriculum brings my students’ lives into our classroom

December 23, 2022 by Megan Euler, Seventh Grade Science Teacher, Culler Middle School

An OER science curriculum has completely revolutionized the way I teach and has transformed the way my students relate to their learning.

When I was growing up, I assumed that my teachers knew everything, including all of the “right answers.” Now that I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, I…

Newsline

Treering Yearbooks Launches New Donation Feature

November 22, 2022November 21, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

SAN MATEO, CA — Treering Yearbooks – a company modernizing traditional yearbooks – enables schools across America to make yearbooks ... Read more

Newsline

NWEA Shares Progress on Using AI to Identify and Remove Barriers Within Mathematics for Students with Visual Impairment

October 18, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

Portland, OR – NWEA, a not-for-profit, research and educational services organization serving K-12 students, today announced progress it has ... Read more

Why Career Exploration Should Begin in Middle School—and How to Make It Happen

November 22, 2022September 12, 2022 by Jeff Festa

Many school systems build career exploration into the high school experience. However, evidence suggests that middle school is actually the ... Read more

Newsline

Slooh Partners with TransAstra to Add to its Network of Student-Controlled Telescopes – This Time in Space

August 10, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

Washington Depot, Connecticut, August 10, 2022 – Slooh, the pioneer in offering live online telescope feeds of major celestial events ... Read more

Newsline

Vernier Software & Technology Launches E-Book to Support Hands-On Science Learning for Middle School Students

July 27, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

BEAVERTON, Oregon, July 27, 2022 — Vernier Software & Technology has launched Light & Matter: Vernier Supplement to OpenSciEd Unit ... Read more

Newsline

3M and Discovery Education Recognize 31 State Merit Winners in 2022 3M Young Scientist Challenge

June 29, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

SILVER SPRING, Md. & ST. PAUL, Minn. – 3M and Discovery Education announced 31 State Merit Winners in the 2022 3M ... Read more

Newsline

STEM Educators Demonstrate Innovative Uses of Data-Collection Technology to Win 2022 Vernier/NSTA Technology Awards

April 8, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

BEAVERTON, Oregon, April 8, 2022 — Vernier Software & Technology and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) are pleased to ... Read more

Newsline

KIPP Public Schools Expands Partnership with YouScience Bringing Student Aptitude Assessments to 48 Schools Across the Nation

March 3, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

AMERICAN FORK, Utah, March 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, YouScience announced its career guidance tool, YouScience Discovery, is now available for students in 48 ... Read more

Curriculum & Assessment

Using the book club model in the classroom

December 7, 2022February 22, 2022 by Britten Follett

A book club can help reluctant readers become engaged with reading while also encouraging students to share with peers

Middle school English teachers like Carrie Friday at Southwest Middle School in Palm Bay, Florida are using the book club model.

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