Two books from Jason McIntosh β one centering on PBL quests and the other on paleontology investigations β offer advanced students learning challenges not often found in middle grades books, writes Kim Rensch. The books include lesson plans β and a short novel by McIntosh!
It’s easy to keep busy in just about any job, writes former principal Matt Renwick, now a regional systems coach. Whatβs difficult to discern is what we should be focused on in this moment. See how Renwick is using what he calls “productive presence” to stay organized and aware.
Invest in Your Best is full of practical insights that any school leader can trust will lead to improved retention of their most effective teachers. Implementing the bookβs ideas will also benefit the whole faculty and students, writes Wisconsin systems coach Matt Renwick.
AI should be more than a tool; it could be a true creative partner and not a crutch. It is our job to get our students to that point. Practice at choosing the best words for prompts, refining those prompts, and evaluating and adjusting the responses can help get them there.
Resources / Summer Reading & Learning
by Susan Curtis · Published 05/09/2025 · Last modified 05/26/2025
How can teachers help students enjoy reading and learning during summer following another challenging year? Visit MiddleWebβs expanded resource for Summer 2025, where you’ll find teacher ideas and heaps of book and online suggestions.
Teaching dystopian fiction offers students a meaningful way to engage with literature and social issues while developing critical thinking skills. Kasey Short suggests discussion questions, activities, and a sample of dystopian novels and short stories to capture studentsβ attention.
What can you and your students accomplish the last few weeks of school? In this MiddleWeb resource educators share activities that align learning with fun, offer ideas for responding to stress, and suggest strategies to help sustain your classroom community.
Communication, adaptability, and problem-solving are among the “soft” social-emotional skills that are behind-the-scenes champs of the learning process. Literacy interventionist Kelly Owens shares 10 ways she is weaving the “intangibles” employers prize into existing lessons.
βImproving Teacher Morale and Motivationβ by Ronald Williamson and Barbara Blackburn provides school leaders with key strategies for directly addressing teacher morale and effectiveness. Systems coach Matt Renwick reflects on three of the book’s valuable principles.
Womenβs history is no longer in hiding, thanks to scholars who are documenting womenβs impact on society. Middle grades teachers can help their students trace that history with these resources, just updated and expanded, for Women’s History Month and beyond.
