Middle School
Education news, analysis, and opinion about schools typically serving 6th to 8th grades and the students who attend them
Reading & Literacy
Q&A
Can Taylor Swift Get Students to Love Poetry?
A college professor will train middle and high school teachers on how to use Swift's lyrics in their curriculum.
Ed-Tech Policy
What Happened When This District Did an About-Face on Cellphones
Cellphones and other technologies have altered parents’ expectations about how on-demand kids and teachers should be.
Law & Courts
Court Backs School That Barred Student's 'Two Genders' Shirt
The court said the shirt could be understood to demean transgender and gender-nonconforming students, and administrators could prohibit it.
Student Achievement
How Teachers Build Confidence to Motivate Middle Schoolers in STEM
Sixth through eighth grade marks a shift in what motivates students, presenting a big challenge for science and math teachers.
Mathematics
What the Research Says
4 Questions to Boost Algebra Gains for Middle Schoolers
More than 1 in 3 public school students now takes Algebra 1 in middle school. Here's how to make sure they succeed in this gatekeeper class.
Reading & Literacy
Older Students Who Struggle to Read Hide in Plain Sight. What Teachers Can Do
Going back to basics may get to the root of the problem.
Ed-Tech Policy
One School Leader Banned Cellphones, the Other Embraced Them. What Worked?
Two principals describe their dramatically different policies on cellphones and how they are working.
Student Well-Being
Cellphone Headaches in Middle Schools: Why Policies Aren't Enough
Middle schoolers' developmental stage makes them uniquely vulnerable to the negative aspects of cellphones. Policies alone won't help.
Mathematics
Q&A
Teacher Group Wants a Focus on Low Math Performance, Too
A teacher-led nonprofit releases recommendations focus on how to avoid “math aversion” in middle school.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
My Life as a Substitute Teacher in Suburbia: Chaos and Cruelty
I was ignorant of the reality until I started teaching, writes a recent college graduate.
School Climate & Safety
'A Universal Prevention Measure' That Boosts Attendance and Improves Behavior
When students feel connected to school, attendance, behavior, and academic performance are better.
School & District Management
How Principals Use the Lunch Hour to Target Student Apathy
School leaders want to trigger the connection between good food, fun, and rewards.
Student Well-Being
SEL Could Move Into School Sports. What That Might Look Like
Massachusetts is considering a bill to establish guidelines on how school athletics incorporate SEL.
Teaching Profession
Video
‘Teachers Make All Other Professions Possible’: This Educator Shares Her Why
An Arkansas educator offers a message on overcoming the hard days—and focusing on the why.