Teaching Middle School

Middle school is its own important, distinct territory, and yet it's either written off as an uncomfortable rite of passage or lumped in with other developmental phases. Based on her many years working in schools, professional counselor Phyllis Fagell sees these years instead as a critical stage that parents can't afford to ignore (and though "middle school" includes different grades in various regions, Fagell maintains that the ages make more of a difference than the setting).

Parents will gain insight into how to transform their parenting to help middle schoolers find greater independence, connect well with peers, and have the deepest learning possible in and out of school. Educators will learn about the developmental keys to making middle school a place of belonging, with deep social and emotional learning and academics that draw out students' full motivation and potential.

Teaching in middle schools is a dynamic environment that calls for more than just subject-matter expertise. Effective administration is the cornerstone of any successful classroom, and in "The Zen of Classroom Management," Nissan Dawn provides a revolutionary method for addressing middle school issues. This extensive manual provides thirty useful tactics that are based on the mindfulness and adaptation principles of Zen, specifically designed for the special energy and complexities of the middle school setting.