May Middle Level Minute

Horace Mann decided that a week is not enough time to honor all that you do! In addition to offering speakers of high interest, Horace Mann is giving away MANY prizes to educators this month. You can visit this page to register for the webinars and enter the sweepstakes.

Cascade Middle School in Clayton, Indiana earned their first Schools to Watch Redesignation this year. They offer a wide variety of opportunities for students to be recognized for achievements, have a real feeling of community and being of service, and have imaginative enrichment opportunities and remediation incorporated in the school day. The picture above includes students in the 2D art class who offer classroom makeovers for teachers. Cascade is a great follow on X!

Staff members from Boonville MIddle School, including principal, Julie Kemp, played an important part at IDOE's recent TitleCon24. Not only did several present in a session detailing how they made impressive changes, Julie was part of a valuable panel. You can link to their website here.

Also, I presented on many things connected to middle school, including current middle level research, resources, and successes . You can link to that presentation here.

Maybe you have seen/played the NYTimes game "Connections." You are tasked with grouping 16 terms into 4 groups of 4, fitting into categories. Some categories are obvious, some are harder, and some terms can seem to fit more than one way. Here's one for you to try! (also pictured below; will open in a new screen) Here's a link to create more!

Lilly Endowment has announced the 2025 Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program (TCFP). This program supports educators throughout Indiana by providing resources for them to take time for meaningful renewal. Endowment staff will host 4 virtual informational sessions to review the TCFP application process & answer questions, including May 16 & 30. Click here to learn more and register for a virtual informational session. Remember: this grant IS all about you! The grant provides up to $15,000 for you to pursue a personal passion.

TeachingBooks.net is a free resource for Indiana educators, libraries, and families through our Indiana State Library and INSPIRE databases. (It authenticates with your IP address, and you can also create an account.) Their recent newsletter included these activities you can use with students.

Book Cover Jigsaw Puzzle

Science Friday has released a series of escape rooms and videos for students to learn about their brains and neuroscience. Aimed at ages 10-14, there are seven different activities. The live online events have passed, but recordings are available. Resources are available in both English and Spanish, and there are additional activities that can be used.

While many resources are directed at grades K-3, what can be done for older students who are struggling with reading? While this post on Keep Indiana Learning's Homegrown Blog deals with high school, many of these strategies are appropriate for middle schoolers as well.

In addition, several Indiana schools have found great success with Readable English, including Cascade Middle School (see Schools to Watch post above) Readable English will be presenting and exhibiting at MidCon! IDOE has given grants to several schools for use of Readable English with special needs and MLL students.

This is an important piece from Jennifer Gonzalez, "the Cult Pedagogy," on the many contributions a teacher librarian can add to a school. It's far more than "Keeper of the Books;" who better to work with students on research, AI, digital citizenship, and other similar topics? The number of certified school librarians in Indiana has fallen dramatically, along with reading scores and the amount students read for pleasure. We look forward to Jennifer Gonzalez keynoting day 2 of MidCon24.

The Teaching Channel has also partnered with AMLE to provide discounted access to both an online library of bite-sized videos and more in-depth middle level coursework. You can find information on those resources here.

TIMES IN EST AND FREE UNLESS NOTED

Many are available via recording, some if you preregister.

May 6-MidCon Kickoff on LinkedIn Live, 11:30 am

May 9-Getting Started with GIrls Who Code, 2 pm

May 12- Deadline for Indiana Educator Awards, 9 pm

May 13- DOE Day of AI, Noon-1:30

May 13- Road to MidCon Webinar with Phyllis Fagel, 4 pm

May 13- Values & Tech: Fostering a Positive Digital Culture in Your School, 2 pm

May 15- IDOE: Science of Reading for All Learners, 4 pm

May 16- Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant Informational Webinar, 3:30

May 30- Lilly Grant Webinar, 4:30

May 31- Next Gen SIG Grant Apps Due (Schools to Watch can be a Component; deadline changed)

June 6- SPARK at Franklin Township, Indianapolis (DOE Summer of Learning)

June 10-14- CSPD Week, Bloomington

June 22-24- Schools to Watch Conference, Arlington, VA ($)

June 26-27-MidCon, Westfield Middle School ($)

Sept. 5- Deadline for Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant Applications, 5 pm

ONGOING EVENTS

IN LearningPartnership (Includes Wednesday PD with IDOE)

Indiana Learning Lab Workshops (Requires Sign in for Registration)

Code HS/IDOE Workshops and Courses

Teachers First OK2Ask Online Workshops; (Past on-demand sessions)

Keep Indiana Learning (KINL); Live Events (some $) Past Recordings/Digital Content

edWeb.net Webinars (Can watch at later date; if sponsored, "commercials" are at the end)

PATINS Trainings for Accessibility for All

AMLE Podcast Series

AMLE Events (some free, some paid)

Corwin Webinars

Please note: Webinars and events mentioned in this space are not an endorsement of commercial products; on the contrary, we try to avoid listing events that appear to be commercial in nature. Every effort is made to strip social media/tracking data from provided URLs. In many cases, you can register and receive a recording later.

The only organization in Indiana devoted to promoting, improving, and supporting middle level education. We are the Indiana affiliate of the national organization AMLE, and administer the Schools to Watch program for the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

Join us! Membership Benefits and Application

Susie Highley, Executive Director

Shirley Wright, Schools to Watch Consultant

FIND US:

11025 E. 25th Street, Indianapolis, IN. 46229 (Inside IASP)

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