Middle Level Minute

There's no better time to join AMLE! (Association of Middle Level Educators) Not only will you have access to additional resources, but you will also receive discounts for the AMLE conference here in Indianapolis on November 5-8. Join by January 31, and use code AMLE25 for a 20% discount. You can also purchase a joint membership to AMLE and IMLEA. Learn more about the benefits here. (Applications to present at the November conference will be available soon.)

I first saw a presentation from Amber Benson and Ruby Voss from Virginia at a Schools to Watch conference, and have also seen them at AMLE. (I hope they will be here in November!) They have many fantastic ideas for teaching math, and demonstrate everything that co-teaching can be. They will be presenting a free webinar on Tuesday, the 28th at 4 pm. You can register here. Here is an article that relates to the webinar. (Great to follow them on X and Facebook.)

As a followup to last summer's successful MidCon, CIESC's professional learning branch, Keep Indiana Learning, is holding another summer conference, KINLCon. This year's will include middle school topics, but also others in the K-12 realm. It will be held at Noblesville West Middle School. You can submit a proposal to present by February 27, and/or register now.

With so many schools working on ways to incorporate remediation during the day, collaborate with high schools on college and career pathways, and still offer choice to students, scheduling is a very hot topic these days. Here are a few resources to explore:

*AMLE Article Open to All: "What Makes a Great Middle School Master Schedule?"

*From Corwin: 3 Questions Scheduling Teams Must Ask When Creating Equitable Bell Schedules

*Rotating Schedule: Crayton Middle School, an AMLE School of Distinction, is featured in this 5-minute video.

*Flex Scheduling Examples

*The Joy of Electives from ASCD's EL Magazine (you are allowed 3 free articles/month)

*For AMLE Members: Log in to read "The Power of Scheduling in Middle School Teaming: Flexibility, Creativity, and Student-Centered Learning" in the current issue.

*Also for AMLE Members, results from a schedule survey with 163 responses last December.

*AMLE Book, The Successful Middle School Schedule, $5 off through January 30

Frank Baker, media literacy guru, has updated previous resources that you can use with students. It includes such things as

*Ad Analysis

*Who's the Audience?

*Techniques of Persuasion

Find these and other activities here. The commericals are now readily available online (back when, while teach media literacy, I recorded the Super Bowl and edited out the game)

As a young science teacher, attending HASTI in my second year may have been the most impactful PD I ever had! It opened up a world of possibilities and the idea of networking with others. This year's conference is at Noblesville High School on Feb. 15-17. Special notes:

-There is a scholarship for preservice and beginning teachers.

-There is a special add-on for gaming with a small fee, but you will leave with $150 worth of games! It is near the end of the registration form; do that by January 31.

We hear so much about the "science of reading," and there are many efforts in grades K-3, but what about middle level students who need additional support? To assist, Keep Indiana Learning has formed an adolescent literacy group, which meets once a month. The first meeting included many, many resources that could be of use, and a list was emailed after the session. You can register for future meetings here.

Many educators have shared that this summer experience in Bloomington is some of the best PD they have received. It is open to K-12 teachers, and will be June 16-20. There are options for all levels of experience in computer science as well. Expenses are paid, and stipends are added.

Did you know that with special waivers, middle school student can participate in Special Olympics' Polar Plunge? Events are held across Indiana, with 3 that specifically include middle and high schools. Among all teams in Indiana, Plainfield Community Middle School is among the leaders, already exceeding their goal. You can find more information and dates here. Information on Champions in the Middle is here, and a new introductory video is below.

TIMES ARE EST; FREE UNLESS NOTED

Many are available via recording, especially if you pre-register.

January 27-Master MTSS for Student Success (INcompassing Education), 5 pm

January 28-AMLE Webinar "PHRASES for Classroom Management," 4 pm

January 28- Smart, Responsible AI Use in the Classroom (Matt Miller), 4 pm

January 29- CIESC Counselor Connect Anxious Generation Book Study Begins, 9:30 am

January 29: New Year, New You: Tech Tips for 2025 with the IDOE Digital Learning Team, 4 pm

January 29- iCivics and NSSLA Webinar: Using iCivics to Support Your Social Studies & Literacy Instruction, 7:30 pm (Links directly to Zoom)

January 30- IDOE Graduation Pathways Webinar, 1 pm

January 30- AI vs. Cheating, Plagiarism, & Academic Integrity (Matt Miller), 4 pm

January 30- Corwin Redefining Rigor with Doug Fisher & Nancy Frey, 4 pm

January 31- Deadline to Apply for Library of Congress Summer Seminars

January 31- Deadline to Receive 20% Discount When Joining AMLE

January 31- Deadline to Apply for HASTI Gaming Session

February 4- Keep Indiana Learning Adolescent Literacy Group, 4 pm

February 7- Deadline for HASTI Online Registration

February 15-17- HASTI Conference, Noblesville HS

February 27- Proposals Due to Present at KINLCon

March 5- NEH Summer Seminar Applications Due

June 16-20- CSPD Week, Bloomington (Applications open now!)

June 24-25, 2025- KINLCon at Noblesville West MS (Presentation Proposals & Registration both open)

November 5-8, 2025- AMLE in Indianapolis!

ONGOING EVENTS

Indiana Learning Lab Workshops (Requires Sign in for Registration, Also Access to Archived Events)

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)

AMLE Podcasts: Walk and Talk & Research to Practice

AMLE Events (some free, some paid)

Corwin Webinars, Additional Free Corwin Resources, Including Past 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

FIND US:

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

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