MiddleWeb

Artificial Intelligence Tools Make Learning More Engaging The Artificial Intelligence Playbook shows educators why and how we need to teach students to write purposeful AI prompts, writes veteran teacher Andi Jackson.

Review: MAKE LEARNING MORE ENGAGING WITH AI TOOLS

Hargrave, Fisher & Frey’s new edition of The Artificial Intelligence Playbook is grounded, practical & deeply respectful of the teacher’s role, says veteran teacher Andi Jackson. Highly recommended. #edusky #AIsky

www.middleweb.com/52851/make-l...

"Over the past five years, I’ve worked hard to add different consolidation strategies into my teaching practice. I teach my students every other day, so I want them to be able to recall what they learned in the previous lesson & be ready to put it to use." – MS teacher Megan Kelly. #edusky

Here's Why My 7th Graders Are Memorizing the 50 States When U.S. history teacher Lauren Brown realized how little her 7th graders knew about the 50 states, she resorted to memorization to build background knowledge.

@laurenbrownoned.bsky.social has been sharing this piece from last year. A good read! #iteachhistory #edusky
----------
It's Geography Awareness Week! Good #historyteachers know that #Geography matters! More here: middleweb.com/51788/my-7th...

Here's Why My 7th Graders Are Memorizing the 50 States

Principals: Trying to visit classrooms, only to get pulled back to the office as soon as you leave?

Join me for a free webinar on December 4, where I share the processes I used to be present with teachers and students.

RSVP --> luma.com/m6om1q8n @middleweb.bsky.social @corwinpress.bsky.social

Join #ElemMathChat 12/4/25 at 8pm CST/9pm EST with @monamath.bsky.social and @middleweb.bsky.social to explore word problems. How do we move past steps so students make sense, reason, and see themselves as mathematicians? Bring ideas and questions. #ElemMathChat

@sundayreads.bsky.social #edusky #iteachEnglish #iteachhistory #iteachscience #teachersky @shortissweet.bsky.social @sarahcooper.bsky.social

4 Consolidation Activities That Connect & Reinforce Learning By completing quick daily activities that help consolidate what they're learning, Megan Kelly's students are building long-term memory and background knowledge.

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES TO HELP CONSOLIDATE LEARNING.

By completing quick daily activities that help consolidate what they're learning, Megan Kelly's students are building long-term memory and background knowledge. She shares 4 favorites. #edusky #teachersky #T2Tchat

www.middleweb.com/52836/classr...

MW Substack 034: Nonfiction and difficult text. Many of today's students struggle with in-school assignments that require them to read “hard” nonfiction text. Here are some things we can do.

MW Substack 034: NONFICTION. DIFFICULT TEXT.

Many students are struggling with in-school assignments that require them to read “hard” nonfiction text. Here are some things we can do. (A free 5-minute read highlighting a selection of our articles on the topic)

middleweb.substack.com/p/mw-substac...

How Should School Leaders Respond to Toxic Staff Members? One of the big challenges facing school leaders is pushback that goes beyond the kinds of disagreements we can resolve through civil discourse and compromise.

HOW SHOULD SCHOOL LEADERS RESPOND TO TOXIC STAFF MEMBERS?

One of the biggest challenges facing school leaders is pushback from teachers & staff that goes beyond the disagreements we can resolve through civil discourse & compromise. #edusky #edleaders #principals

www.middleweb.com/52810/how-do...

@toddwhitaker.bsky.social @dennisschug.bsky.social @amleorg.bsky.social @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social

How to Get All Teachers to Become Like the Best Teachers In his 2025 book Todd Whitaker is clear: great teachers aren’t born. They’re grown, supported, and inspired by leaders knowing what to look for and how to help.

Review: LEADING ALL TEACHERS TO BECOME LIKE THE BEST.

In his 2025 book Todd Whitaker is clear: great teachers aren’t born. They’re grown, supported, and inspired by leaders knowing what to look for and how to help. @routledgebooks.bsky.social #edusky #edleaders

www.middleweb.com/52824/gettin...

#edleaders #edleadership #principals @corwinpress.bsky.social #educoach @scottmcleod.bsky.social @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social

I believe in acculturation versus assimilation because I’m not afraid of your differences and ideas. I love your uniqueness and value the perspective you bring. I want you to know that you belong.

#teachingenglish #teachingkids #languages #languagelearning #multilingualism #bilingual_kids

Principals Observing Instruction with a Curiosity Mindset The question isn't whether principals should observe classroom instruction, says Renwick. "It's whether we can observe it with curiosity rather than judgment."

New: OBSERVING INSTRUCTION WITH A CURIOSITY MINDSET.

The question isn't whether principals should observe classroom instruction, says coach Matt Renwick. "It's whether we can observe it with curiosity rather than judgment." #edusky @readbyexample.bsky.social

www.middleweb.com/52832/observ...

"Fictional texts humanize facts by helping students better understand what it would be like to be a mathematical genius, live through an historical moment, experience the impact of science in space, create a great work of art, or immerse oneself in a different culture." #edusky #iteachscience

Fiction Builds Background Knowledge Across the Curriculum Fiction is a powerful tool to build foundational knowledge across subject areas–deepening understanding and sparking curiosity–says teacher leader Kasey Short.

New: USING FICTION TO BUILD CROSS-CONTENT KNOWLEDGE.

Fiction is a powerful tool to build foundational knowledge across subject areas –deepening understanding and sparking curiosity, says teacher leader Kasey Short. #edusky @shortissweet.bsky.social #iteachEnglish

www.middleweb.com/52811/using-...

My STOP & THINK article is filled with links to additional classroom strategies. Check it out!

Really interesting stuff...and you can both listen in and read an accompanying article!

Tools to Fill Your Classroom with Joyful Learning Stephanie Farley’s Joyful Learning offers methods to achieve joyful learning through relationships, curriculum, assessment, grading, assignments, and direction.

REVIEW: Tools to Fill Your Classroom with Joyful Learning.

Stephanie Farley’s book shows ways to achieve joyful learning through relationships, curriculum, assignments, assessment and grading, says reviewer Nicole Miller. #edusky @routledgebooks.bsky.social

www.middleweb.com/52805/tools-...

The data won't change overnight, but the narrative can shift today - from 'these kids can't' to 'here's what we're learning works.'"

When a school struggles, do staff blame poverty? Attendance? "Those kids"?

The story a school tells about itself shapes everything—and leaders are the chief storytellers.

How to change the narrative: open.substack.com/pub/readbyex...

How Should Teachers Deal With Problematic Language in Literature? (Opinion) Offensive prose does show up in books. Ignoring it doesn't help students.

Literature and history books are full of retrograde messages. Ignoring them doesn’t help. Educators share advice for teachers. @larryferlazzo.bsky.social

Let's STOP and THINK about New Ways to Use Exit Tickets Karin Hess shows how STOP and THINK activities build a deeper, more meaningful understanding of skills and concepts than traditional end-of-class exit cards.

NEW: Let’s STOP and THINK about Those Exit Tickets

Learning scientist @drkarinhess.bsky.social shows how STOP and THINK activities build a deeper, more meaningful understanding of skills and concepts than traditional end-of-class exit cards. #edusky #teachersky

www.middleweb.com/52791/lets-s...

The Evidence Is In: Assigning Homework That Actually Works Curtis Chandler imagines homework as brain food. When it's rich in quality and purpose, it nourishes understanding. Otherwise, it’s just educational junk food.

ASSIGNING HOMEWORK THAT ACTUALLY WORKS

Homework doesn’t have to be a nightly battle or meaningless routine. When designed with purpose, it can reinforce learning, strengthen memory & build habits of independence. The key is intention. #edusky #homework #teachersky

www.middleweb.com/52799/assign...

5 Questions: Critical Reading in the Age of Disinformation In 5 Questions for Any Text Marilyn Pryle provides a practical framework for cultivating critical readers in an age of information (and misinformation) overload

Review: 5 CRITICAL READING SKILLS HELP COUNTER DISINFORMATION

English teacher & PA TOY Marilyn Pryle provides a practical framework for cultivating critical readers in an age of misinformation overload. #edusky #medialiteracy #iteachEnglish @mpryle.bsky.social

www.middleweb.com/52787/critic...

@sharemylesson.bsky.social @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social @larryferlazzo.bsky.social @thenaesp.bsky.social

@jarredamato.bsky.social

Social Studies Leveled Sentence Stems handout includes mild, hot, and fire sentence stems. Respective examples: "This reminds me of ...," "I understand what you are saying, but I think ...," "The effect of ... was ... This is important because ..."

Here's how educator @bsmitheducator.bsky.social encourages Ss to deepen and extend their thinking – one step at a time:

#EduSky

And it's free!

We Can Trust Students to Figure Out Math. Nudges Allowed. If our goal in math class is developing problem solvers, we can't be the ones doing the solving. Mona Iehl shows how to shift from helping to empowering kids.

New: UP THE STUDENT TRUST QUOTIENT IN MATH CLASS.

If our goal in math class is developing problem solvers, we can't be the ones doing the solving. Math coach Mona Iehl shows how to shift from helping to empowering kids. #edusky #iteachmath @monamath.bsky.social

www.middleweb.com/52774/up-you...

@sharemylesson.bsky.social @mindshift-kqed.bsky.social @larryferlazzo.bsky.social @thenaesp.bsky.social