Author Archives: michaellcahill

Dialogue Night this year had parents and students participate in an intergenerational discussion about the differences between being a middle level student now as compared with the 1980’s when many of their own parents were coming of age. So, in an attempt to capture some of the poignant perceptions, I decided to summarize and shareContinue reading “It’s Still About the Eighties”

New Jersey state law requires all schools to observe a “Week of Respect” every October. While this mandate emanates from the HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying) legislation passed a few years ago, I like how it overlaps with what is designated in middle school circles as the “Month of the Young Adolescent.” This observance is supposed to highlightContinue reading “The Connection Between Bullying and Growing Up”

Last night’s Dialogue Night was a wonderful opportunity to learn about a topic that is unavoidable in our lives: stress. And that was a major point of Dr. Kim Painter’s presentation. Our energy has to “ride the wave” of stress instead of trying to prevent the inevitable. We need to focus on developing strategies thatContinue reading ““Riding the Wave of Stress””

Saying the word “homework” provokes a reaction in just about everyone, and from my personal experience in this district, there are those people who want less of it and those who encourage more. It is without a doubt a volatile topic. It is also a cyclical one. The value attached to homework can vary byContinue reading “The Bigger Story Behind Homework and Stress”

I have been contemplating lately about how all the changes in education fomenting around us are influenced by entities on “the outside” of school buildings like ours, and they include government and business, testing and publishing companies, colleges, and societal shifts in thinking. We continually hear terms like “skill levels” and “proficiencies” and “college andContinue reading “Preserving a Middle Level Focus”