Middle School Research to Practice

What actually works best? Building relationships between middle level researchers and practitioners to expand the evidence base for the field.

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:00:00 -0500

The AMLE Research to Practice Podcast is back! In this episode, Dr. Sarah Pennington dives into the new Middle Level Education Research Agenda and The Successful Middle School Research Progress. She and hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey discuss the importance of building stronger, more collaborative relationships where researchers see educators as true partners. They explore how all educators can serve as researchers, as well as ways to bridge the gap to ensure that research can directly inform and improve what's happening in middle school classrooms.

Classroom Management in the Middle Grades

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode, the hosts discuss a qualitative study of teachers' perceptions of classroom management in the middle grades, including common themes around what strategies work and differences in perceptions between general and special education teachers.

Always a hot topic, classroom management is often cited by teachers as a reason why they leave the profession. It’s a problem exacerbated by lingering post-pandemic student social and emotional needs and behavior challenges. The hosts explore what is, and isn’t, within the power of teachers to control and how understanding the developmental characteristics of this age group can help.

SEL Competence – Beyond the Buzzword

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 22:00:00 -0400

What does being “SEL competent” mean for middle grades teachers entering the profession today? How do teachers continue to adapt and develop that skillset over time? The hosts discuss two recent studies that explore these questions and their impact on effective classroom management.

Self-Regulation Challenges and Supports

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Even without additional trauma (such as the continuing impacts of the pandemic), adolescents are in a dynamic period of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. In this episode, co-hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey discuss a recent study that looked at health education teachers’ and school counselors’ views of their students’ challenges and their strategies for supporting students’ social and emotional development.

The study was published in the June 2023 edition of Research in Middle Level Education Online, an open access journal available at https://www.amle.org/research-in-middle-level-education-online/.

Increasing Female Students’ STEM Self Efficacy

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0400

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, while nearly half of the U.S. workforce is women only 27% are STEM workers. Could STEM self efficacy be a key to better female representation in STEM? What is “STEM self efficacy,” anyway? And why is it particularly important in the middle grades? Co-hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey dig into these questions, discussing why it may be the key to moving the needle.

Leadership Support in a Pandemic - Middle School Teacher Perceptions of Emergency Remote Teaching

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

How did teachers perceive leadership support in the emergency transition to remote learning in 2020? Co-hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey discuss insights from the article, with Andrew sharing from his own experience as an administrator.

Student Amotivation, Absenteeism, and Academic Performance

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a recent study shows a relationship between amotiviation, absenteeism, and student performance. So what does this mean, practically speaking, for educators? Hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey break down a recent study conducted by researchers in Turkey and published in Research in Middle Level Education Online.

The Pathway from Peer Support to Achievement via School Motivation

Fri, 26 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Peer relationships become increasingly important during adolescence. So it’s not surprising that researchers are interested in the connection between peer relationships and academic achievement. Hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey break down a recent study published in Research in Middle Level Education Online that examined this relationship.

Teaching with Integrity: Aligning what we believe with what we say and what we do

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Co-hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey discuss a new study that explored preservice mathematics teachers’ beliefs and the relationships among those beliefs and specialized content knowledge and technology utilization. The study offers important lessons about the role of beliefs during preservice teacher education that can be extended to teachers’ learning and growth at all stages of their careers.

International Mindedness in the Middle Grades

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0400

Hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey discuss a recent study that looked at how students in International Baccalaureate (IB) programs perceive international mindedness as part of their identity. They then explore how all middle grades schools, IB or otherwise, can promote international mindedness to help students become globally engaged and culturally competent adults who understand the world’s interconnectedness and can find belonging wherever they might end up in the future.

Using Genius Hours to Promote Personalized Learning

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 08:00:00 -0500

While genius projects have grown in popularity in recent years, few research studies have investigated their implementation and impact in middle level schools. A recent study published in Research in Middle Level Education Online reports teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of genius hour in their school and provides some useful insights for middle level schools considering this innovative approach. In this episode, co-hosts David Virtue and Andrew Maxey discuss key insights from the study to help middle grades educators further explore ways to incorporate genius projects in the academic programs in their schools.