http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Middle E-Connections is an e-mail newsletter that National Middle School Association members receive monthly during the school year. This brief, easy-to-read publication highlights trends and issues in middle level education. en-US Copyright 1999-2009 National Middle School Association webmaster@nmsa.org While many schools have teacher mentor programs, many do not have administrator mentor programs. If we see the value and importance of a mentoring program for teachers, wouldn't it be equally valuable and important to have a mentoring program for administrators? http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:38:56 GMT 11/11/09 Power can be a valuable teaching aid but must be used very sparingly. Probably the most common form of insidious power a teacher uses is what I call the "gotcha" technique. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Wed, 08 Oct 2009 17:38:56 GMT 10/07/09 My classroom experiences certainly taught me that middle grades students are adept at speeding through assignments and never looking back. Many believe their first effort is the best—and, generally, the only—product. Unfortunately, too many teachers grudgingly accept this behavior instead of gently and persuasively demanding worthy work. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:38:56 GMT 09/08/09 The middle level years are fraught with challenges for students and their families. Particularly challenging for many students is the transition from elementary to middle school. Reducing the uncertainty students experience as they leave the security of elementary school and venture into the next educational phase of their lives can be accomplished by using a well-organized process. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 05 May 2009 17:38:56 GMT 05/05/09 Why are middle schoolers so embarrassed about being good? Of course, experienced middle grades teachers know it isn't being good that embarrasses them, it's being singled out. Of course, that doesn't mean good work and good behavior should go unnoticed. Here are a few ways of acknowledging students without embarrassing them. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:38:56 GMT 04/07/09 Many 10- to 15-year-olds do not share personal information easily, especially the negative. That's why reading books or showing TV or film clips is a great strategy for stirring up conversation. It's all about the character, not the individual middle schooler. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:38:56 GMT 03/03/09 Often, these late winter months can be a time fraught with student discipline issues. Businesses adopt various philosophies and ideas to ensure success and teamwork in their offices. Middle schools can take some of those ideas and use them for the same success. Here are four tools teachers and staff can use to encourage each other and help each other shine during the down times. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:38:56 GMT 02/03/09 Sometimes teachers are looking for new ways to address difficult topics without putting students on the defensive. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to read to students. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:38:56 GMT 01/05/09 Teams academic and athletic, teacher teams and school leader teams continue to hold value as students move through elementary, middle, and senior high school. In fact, teams are the backbone of middle level education. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:38:56 GMT 12/09/08 Using the walls as a teaching tool immerses students in the topic of your class. By thinking ahead and changing them often, walls can serve as more than a container for the students—they're part of the "learning soup" for the middle grades. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:38:56 GMT 11/05/08 There are numerous reasons why field trips are helpful to young adolescents and their learning experiences, but the relationship-building between teachers and students is the most positive function. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:38:56 GMT 10/07/08 Since the education profession is not among the upper echelons of those professions offering strong professional development, here are some ideas for teachers to take charge of their own professional development. http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/MiddleEConnections/tabid/701/Default.aspx Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:38:56 GMT 09/09/08