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Middle School Teachers Chatboard

Differences between high school and middle school

by Chem Teach

Jul 21, 2013

I have an offer from a high school, but it's not an ideal position or school. I also am supposed to hear about a job at a really good middle school. I have never taught middle school, as I have six years of experience at the high school level. I was wondering if there was anyone who has taught both and what some of the differences are. I have an id...See More

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Scott head On 7/21/13, Chem Teach wrote: > I have an offer from a high school, but it's not an ideal > position or school. I also am supposed to hear about a job > at a really good middle school. I have never taught middle > school, as I have six years of experience at the high > school level. I was wondering if there was anyone who has > ta...See More

Jul 25, 2013

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L Stone Well, I have taught both. I loved the fact that my high schoolers were LESS guarded than my middles. I loved the subject matter at the HS level more (literature). Middle schoolers were ALL classroom management, all the time! They would talk if I even stopped to breathe between sentences! I could easily get HSers to work independently or in groups w...See More

Aug 27, 2013

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Middle school Teaching Resources

by Ryan

Aug 1, 2013

I've created a number of engaging teaching resources that are posted at this link. The resources cover a variety of curriculum areas and allow students to show what they've learned in different ways. Check them out! See if there is anything that you can use. Please feel free to share your feedback. Enjoy!

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Link not posted. nfm On 8/01/13, Ryan wrote:

> I've created a number of engaging teaching resources that

> are posted at this link. The resources cover a variety of

> curriculum areas and allow students to show what they've

> learned in different ways. Check them out! See if there is

> anything that you can u...See More

Aug 4, 2013

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Weight Bias: The Bulls-eye of Bullying

by Dr. Brad Johnson in Teachers.Net Gazette

Aug 8, 2013

Click below to read the article, Weight Bias: The Bulls-eye of Bullying. Be sure to share this important link!

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Survey for Common Core (for academic thesis)

by Mike M.

Aug 13, 2013

Hello teachers! My name is Mike M. and I am a student at Brigham Young University. I am working on my capstone thesis on the Common Core, and I was hoping that I could obtain your opinions about it. I have created a very short survey regarding a few aspects that I am investigating. If you have just a minute or two, could you provide your experience...See More

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t On 8/13/13, Mike M. wrote: > Hello teachers! My name is Mike M. and I am a student at > Brigham Young University. I am working on my capstone > thesis on the Common Core, and I was hoping that I could > obtain your opinions about it. I have created a very short > survey regarding a few aspects that I am investigating. If > you hav...See More

Aug 13, 2013

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Subbing first week-looking for a good site(s)

by paloma

Aug 14, 2013

Hello all. Can anyone direct me to a safe and educational site that I could use for filler time? I will be subbing the very first week of a technology class (grades 6 and 7). Plans look fairly thorough, but I would like to be armed with something of a "filler" in the event of downtime. Maybe a site or sites where they can basically sort of "play" q...See More

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Student Organization issues

by Sandra

Aug 15, 2013

I have a middle school student who has problems with organization. She had this problem last year, so I would like to help her start the year off with some organization skills that will help her. I'd appreciate any suggestions!

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Agsrule On 8/15/13, Sandra wrote: > I have a middle school student who has problems with > organization. She had this problem last year, so I would > like to help her start the year off with some organization > skills that will help her. I'd appreciate any suggestions!

What middle school student doesn't have organizational issues? It's...See More

Aug 17, 2013

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cbmom On 8/15/13, Sandra wrote: > I have a middle school student who has problems with > organization. She had this problem last year, so I would > like to help her start the year off with some organization > skills that will help her. I'd appreciate any suggestions!

Try a "homework" folder that is placed within her binder. All homew...See More

Sep 15, 2013

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5 Sites Busy Educators Need to Know About - Tweet this!

by Marjan Glavac in Teachers.Net Gazette

Aug 18, 2013

5 Sites Busy Educators Need to Know About

Once again Marjan Glavac comes through with this month's 5 best sites for educators:

101 Things You Can Do The First Three Weeks Of Class (Teachers, Gr. 4-12) 7 Basic Classroom Rules to Manage Your Classroom Effectively (Teachers, Gr. 4-12) Laura Candler’s Back To School Resources(Teache...See More

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Special Ed or English?

by Mary

Aug 18, 2013

I recently retired due to a family illness. I should have taken a leave of absence but no sense crying over spilt milk. I want to go back to teaching but realize there's a great deal of competition out there. I want to make myself more marketable and get additional certification (in addition to my elementary classroom certification). I'm trying to ...See More

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Full Scholarship AFSers Still Need You as a Host (Fall)

by Dr. Barbara Wills

Aug 19, 2013

AFS-USA Full Scholarship HS Exchange Students still Need you as their Host Family for this Fall. Why not host an AFSer???

These are examples of students who still need placements soon. German CBYX Students Available to Host! Niklas: Niklas says he can’t imagine his life without sports. A dedicated basketball player, he practices four ti...See More

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English Language Arts

by Marisol

Aug 19, 2013

Hello fellow teachers,

For Parent Night, we need to explain the difference amongst these three Language Arts class levels: on-level, advanced, and TAG.

Does anyone have any advice on how to differentiate the explanation in a PC way, so I'm not saying something, such as, students in an on-level class are still learning grammar bas...See More

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Froggybee I'd focus on the curriculum as well. The point of dividing kids into these groups is, I believe, to make sure that all kids are being challenged at an appropriate level. Great, focus on that. I assume all classes will be reading novels, writing essays, etc. Focus on the common aspects and ensure that kids are being challenged. On 8/23/13, Vet Teach...See MoreI'd focus on the curriculum as well. The point of dividing kids into these groups is, I believe, to make sure that all kids are being challenged at an appropriate level. Great, focus on that. I assume all classes will be reading novels, writing essays, etc. Focus on the common aspects and ensure that kids are being challenged. On 8/23/13, Vet Teacher wrote: > On 8/19/13, Marisol wrote: >> No, my schedule runs as the following: > > You have a hard task and your school should perhaps find different > terms but here's a question - how do you determine the kids' > placement? Is it primarily on reading level? > > Why even address it at Parents' Night?? Parents' Night should be > about the curriculum - not about why the kids are assigned to > different levels. I do a 'what, how, why' Parents' Night. I tell > them briefly what the curriculum is - I hand out a list of the books > and 'pitch' the books - a mixture of the classics with some new > books added in. I mention what the primary writing task(s) is for > the year - the essay? I tell them we go back and forth between > reading and writing tasks - that's the 'how' of it and I tell them > the 'why' of it - because it works. > > We also track our LA classes - (why leave time for questions? I > invite parents to come back later in the evening if they have > questions and no one does because later in the evening everyone just > wants to go home) > > But I have had parents jump in without being invited to ask > questions and ask 'how is it determined that a student is placed in > the different levels?' That is a very fair question for parents to > ask - it's not about their individual child. > > In my school we do it in a fairly unprofessional way - we just do. > Last year's LA teacher makes recommendations. I can't say that so I > tell them - the children's reading level is monitored and tested > through the year and we place them in the class where we believe > their reading and writing needs will be best addressed without > stress to the student. > > Every parent in every school wants the badge of honor of having > their child in the Tag/Gifted/AP/Advanced/ Genius of the World > classes. Rather than have that make you grimace, move past it. Every > parent worries about how their child will make it in an increasingly > challenging world in a country that is struggling with its own > challenges. It's not fun. It's not fun to have children and worry > about their future especially in these times. Having your kid in a > TAG or whatever you want to call it offers some (false) hope that > your kid is going to be ok in life and you maybe won't have to worry. > > Hope and guidance - let your presentations on parents' night be full > of hope - strike a high tone - 'this is going to be a great > year!' 'I really look forward to the year ahead - I love the books > we use and love teaching Language Arts at every level. The only > thing I love more than books, reading and writing are your children. > (big warm smile) > > Charm disarms parents who come intending to ask difficult questions > and don't invite questions during your presentation. > > >> >> >> >> Periods 3, 4 are advanced >> >> >> >> Period 5 is TAG >> >> >> >> and Periods 7, 8 are on-level >> >> >> >> The parents of this community are very tight-knit and >> competitive. Having your child in a TAG class is like wearing >> some kind of an honorary badge for an exclusive IN club. Not all >> of them are like that, but a good number are. >> >> As for Advanced students, their parents always want to know >> why their student has not made it into TAG. As teachers say, you >> can't teach a student to be TAG, they just are. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Last year I had parents asking obnoxious questions, just to >> see if the teachers can be caught off guard. I want to avoid >> that this time. I told a few parents to e-mail me privately for >> more questions, or if they had other concerns. >> >> >> >> I have written down what you said; it is helpful. Thank >> you, Debbie. >> >> >> >> >> >> On 8/19/13, Debbie wrote: >> >>> On 8/19/13, Marisol wrote: >> >>>> Hello fellow teachers, >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> For Parent Night, we need to explain the difference >> >>>> amongst these three Language Arts class levels: on-level, >> >>>> advanced, and TAG. >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> Does anyone have any advice on how to differentiate the >> >>>> explanation in a PC way, so I'm not saying something, such >> >>>> as, students in an on-level class are still learning >> >>>> grammar basics. >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> Thanks for any help. >> >>> Will the parents all be in the same room at the same time? You >> >>> could say that one class is for those students who need >> more >> >>> practice with grade level expectations. As for gifted, in our >> >>> district, students aren't just put into a gifted program >> >>> without meeting certain criteria which requires psychological >> >>> testing and other things. >>

Aug 25, 2013

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Debbie Again. I can tell you how our district places students and its all based on standardized test results. Writing levels are determined by FCAT Writes, reading by FCAT reading levels. Hard to argue with that. There is an appeals process if a parent/school/teacher feels the child has been misplaced but one has to submit a lot of empirical & anecdot...See MoreAgain. I can tell you how our district places students and its all based on standardized test results. Writing levels are determined by FCAT Writes, reading by FCAT reading levels. Hard to argue with that. There is an appeals process if a parent/school/teacher feels the child has been misplaced but one has to submit a lot of empirical & anecdotal evidence. Again gifted students are determined through criteria that includes an intelligence test administered by a psychologist. On 8/23/13, Vet Teacher wrote: > On 8/19/13, Marisol wrote: >> No, my schedule runs as the following: > > You have a hard task and your school should perhaps find different > terms but here's a question - how do you determine the kids' > placement? Is it primarily on reading level? > > Why even address it at Parents' Night?? Parents' Night should be > about the curriculum - not about why the kids are assigned to > different levels. I do a 'what, how, why' Parents' Night. I tell > them briefly what the curriculum is - I hand out a list of the books > and 'pitch' the books - a mixture of the classics with some new > books added in. I mention what the primary writing task(s) is for > the year - the essay? I tell them we go back and forth between > reading and writing tasks - that's the 'how' of it and I tell them > the 'why' of it - because it works. > > We also track our LA classes - (why leave time for questions? I > invite parents to come back later in the evening if they have > questions and no one does because later in the evening everyone just > wants to go home) > > But I have had parents jump in without being invited to ask > questions and ask 'how is it determined that a student is placed in > the different levels?' That is a very fair question for parents to > ask - it's not about their individual child. > > In my school we do it in a fairly unprofessional way - we just do. > Last year's LA teacher makes recommendations. I can't say that so I > tell them - the children's reading level is monitored and tested > through the year and we place them in the class where we believe > their reading and writing needs will be best addressed without > stress to the student. > > Every parent in every school wants the badge of honor of having > their child in the Tag/Gifted/AP/Advanced/ Genius of the World > classes. Rather than have that make you grimace, move past it. Every > parent worries about how their child will make it in an increasingly > challenging world in a country that is struggling with its own > challenges. It's not fun. It's not fun to have children and worry > about their future especially in these times. Having your kid in a > TAG or whatever you want to call it offers some (false) hope that > your kid is going to be ok in life and you maybe won't have to worry. > > Hope and guidance - let your presentations on parents' night be full > of hope - strike a high tone - 'this is going to be a great > year!' 'I really look forward to the year ahead - I love the books > we use and love teaching Language Arts at every level. The only > thing I love more than books, reading and writing are your children. > (big warm smile) > > Charm disarms parents who come intending to ask difficult questions > and don't invite questions during your presentation. > > >> >> >> >> Periods 3, 4 are advanced >> >> >> >> Period 5 is TAG >> >> >> >> and Periods 7, 8 are on-level >> >> >> >> The parents of this community are very tight-knit and >> competitive. Having your child in a TAG class is like wearing >> some kind of an honorary badge for an exclusive IN club. Not all >> of them are like that, but a good number are. >> >> As for Advanced students, their parents always want to know >> why their student has not made it into TAG. As teachers say, you >> can't teach a student to be TAG, they just are. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Last year I had parents asking obnoxious questions, just to >> see if the teachers can be caught off guard. I want to avoid >> that this time. I told a few parents to e-mail me privately for >> more questions, or if they had other concerns. >> >> >> >> I have written down what you said; it is helpful. Thank >> you, Debbie. >> >> >> >> >> >> On 8/19/13, Debbie wrote: >> >>> On 8/19/13, Marisol wrote: >> >>>> Hello fellow teachers, >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> For Parent Night, we need to explain the difference >> >>>> amongst these three Language Arts class levels: on-level, >> >>>> advanced, and TAG. >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> Does anyone have any advice on how to differentiate the >> >>>> explanation in a PC way, so I'm not saying something, such >> >>>> as, students in an on-level class are still learning >> >>>> grammar basics. >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> Thanks for any help. >> >>> Will the parents all be in the same room at the same time? You >> >>> could say that one class is for those students who need >> more >> >>> practice with grade level expectations. As for gifted, in our >> >>> district, students aren't just put into a gifted program >> >>> without meeting certain criteria which requires psychological >> >>> testing and other things. >>

Aug 27, 2013

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