Four ways educators can lean into discomfort To get from Reno to Lake Tahoe School in Incline Village, Nevada, a school official had to drive me up 6,500 feet of steep, narrow roads lined with…
The eighth-grade girl approached Principal Tom Adams in the cafeteria. “Dylan just asked out Samantha as a joke,” she said. “Now he’s laughing about it with his friends, and Samantha is sitting at our table…
As jobs disappear to automation, soft skills such as agility, creativity and inventiveness may predict success more than grades, scores or core knowledge. There’s no one path to success, but here are seven strategies that…
In addition to teaching, it seems we’re expected to be human shields,” one teacher says. Principals are hearing about school systems training teachers to use guns, or practicing drills with swarms of police officers and…
The first installment of my regular column, “The Meaningful Middle,” for AMLE Magazine. Workplace satisfaction is complex—especially in schools — as seventh-grade English teacher Maggie knows well. She was intrigued by one of the items…
I love to talk about books with students, but reading together is also a great, not-too-intrusive way to gain access to your own child’s thoughts. I learned this firsthand when my 14-year-old daughter Emily and…
Tim, a young single dad on another continent, woke up feeling lost and alone. His tween son had made a big mistake, and Tim had raged at him the night before. He’s extremely close to…
Michael Gordon ran a middle school for 40 years. That’s right, four DECADES. As principal, he got tough kids to soften and overprotective parents to loosen their grip. Under his watch, troublemakers fell into…
In eighth grade, my social studies teacher asked for a volunteer to define “sagacious.” Atypically, I raised my hand. Ms. F. called on me, surprised to see me participating. But when I gave the correct…
“I need you to spread the cream cheese on my bagel,” my 9-year-old son told me. I shook my head. “No, you don’t. Last I checked, Alex, you have working hands.” He tested my resolve.…
When I was a first-year middle school counselor, I went on an outdoor education trip with my sixth graders. Just before we left, I learned that I would be in charge of teaching the kids…
Kate kept wondering why her principal hadn’t responded to her email. One of her student’s parent’s had sent a note to both of them complaining about her homework policy. Kate had written the principal a…
