Podcast appearances and mentions of jack berckemeyer

To apply for the job opening or not to apply, that is the question at this point in the year and at this point in education. This is a tough question that nearly every educator faces at some point—do you stay rooted in the classroom, focusing solely on content delivery, or do you pursue leadership roles for broader impact? We'll explore the pros and cons of both paths and challenge the assumptions about what it means to truly make a difference in education. Also hear from special guest Jack Berckemeyer and Monica on what they have done in the past and what they are doing now and how they came to those decisions. And get ready to hear full transparency about NOT getting hired, NOT passing tests, and NOT feeling good about it. Whether you're a classroom teacher, an aspiring leader, or someone just trying to figure out where you stand, this episode is for you. Tune in, and let's unpack where you fall in the ever-evolving world of education! Want AWESOME PD for Your School for Next Year? Let's Make it Happen  monicagenta.com/PD Find Out More About Jack Berckemeyer Here:  jackberckemeyer.com/ Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: monicagenta.com/freebook Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

Needing or wanting 3 extremely easy and practical solutions to solve today’s problems in schools? In this week’s episode of the This Teacher Life podcast, we tackle two of the biggest stressors teachers face—apathy and attendance—and how they're affecting classrooms everywhere. From students who just don't seem to care, to the endless challenges of getting them to show up, we'll explore practical solutions that can make a real difference. Tune in for fresh, fun ideas to boost engagement, increase attendance, and make your school days a whole lot smoother! And spoiler alert… this idea DOES NOT involve burping up ANOTHER binder! Episode Notes:  Get 180 FULL SEL Lessons to Improve Apathy & Attendance in Your School:  monicagenta.com/180SEL Students Refusing to Work? Check out this Management Solution: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Management-Behavior-Management-Increase-Success-Decrease-Stress-11500061 Wanting AWESOME PD for Your Whole School?  monicagenta.com/PD Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

When was the last time you were able to get your students super motivated with a paper plate? When was the last time you increased student engagement with a reverse card from Uno? When was the last time you handed out notecards and nobody refused to participate? Because after listening to this week’s episode of This Teacher Life podcast, you are going to be so excited to bust out paper products! And the best part, they are going to product student results. In this special episode with guest, Jack Berckemyer, we unpack 3 super simple ways to engage students. I promise you will laugh and learn in this one! Episode Notes:  First Call for the Game Changers Course Filled with TONS of Student Engagement Ideas: monicagenta.com/courses Check Out the Amazing Giant & Mini Uno Cards Here monicagenta.com/amazon Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

Looking for some simple, strategic classroom and behavior management strategies? You are in the right place! On this week’s episode of This Teacher Life special guest, Jack Berckemeyer, shares some solutions that are so meaningful. The best part, all 3 of these ideas can be tried with students by the end of the podcast because they are no prep and no stress! I promise you will laugh and learn as you dive into these hacks that can be used in any classroom and with any age. Episode Notes:  Get TONS More of Classroom Connection Ideas in The Rooted Classroom Course  monicagenta.com/rooted-classroom-course Needing 2025 to be Awesome? Check out the New Course 365 Days of Awesome! monicagenta.com/courses Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

Spring fever is a real thing! But spring celebration is a real thing too. As a teacher do you want to have an AWESOME April or an AWFUL April? I know it seems like a silly, obvious question, but sometimes if we want something to be awesome, we have to put something new in place. And in this week's episode of the This Teacher Life podcast there are 3 super simple ideas that you can try immediately. These ideas take no plan and no prep because all you need is a pencil and some paper. Special guest Jack Bereckmeyer is here to laugh and learn with us so I promise you will love these ideas! Episode Notes:  Looking for Awesome Ideas to Help End the School Year? Check Out These Engaging Resources  monicagenta.com/shop Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: monicagenta.com/freebook Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed tj

Junior High. Middle School. No matter what the name on the sign outside says, what's important is the work happening on the inside. In this episode, Wendy welcomes Jack Berckemeyer of the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) for a candid conversation about the big changes happening in how educators approach middle school. Jack stresses the importance of middle school teachers connecting with their students during this crucial time in their academic careers and how staying up-to-date on the fads, fashion, and slang of this age group can help in student success.Resources for Continued LearningThe Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) is an international organization specifically for middle school educators. As the go-to resource for research, best practices, and professional development, AMLE is a community of over 350,000 middle level educators connecting and supporting each other. Learn more and join the community!Jack Berckemeyer is a successful author who has written several books focusing on middle level education. In this episode, Jack and Wendy talk about the following titles:Successful Middle School: This We BelieveSuccessful Middle Schools: TeamingManaging the Madness: A Practical Guide to Understanding Young Adolescents & Classroom ManagementDeliberate Optimism: Still Reclaiming the Joy in Education 2nd Ed

Have you ever tried to make a decision in your classroom or with your students and started to question everything? Should I say this? Should I try that? Should I go this route? Should I implement this idea? Sometimes, as educators, we can start to question things and don't feel empowered to make best practice decisions. But you may have noticed that your "teacher gut" has changed over time. Parents, principals, and displeased school boards can change the way we approach our passion and our profession. In this week's episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we unpack all of these things with special guest Jack Berckemeyer. I promise it will was cause you to pause, ponder, and reflect in a good way! Episode Links: Looking for Something that CAN Impact Schools and Students in a BIG Way? Check out this SEL Solution:  monicagenta.com/180SEL Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

Paper assignments vs. computer assignments. Which is better for kids? Stern consequences or flexible behavior options. Which is better for kids? To allow AI vs. not allow AI. Which is better for kids. Educators can debate and disagree on SO many education topics. But, at the end of the day we have to ask ourselves, which is better for kids and their future? In this special episode of the This Teacher Life podcast, guest Jack Berckemeyer and I discuss all of the philosophies of school. This episode is challenging, hilarious, controversial, and loving, all wrapped into 30 minutes! How many of the ideas will you agree or disagree with? Take a listen and find out... Episode Notes:  Get TONS of New School and Old School Teaching Ideas Ideas Right Here: https://monicagenta.com/game-changers-course/ Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

"Things aren't like they used to be when I started teaching." Have you said or heard that statement lately. The reality is, yes, things in education have changed. But, the big question is, have students changed or is it the teachers? What if it's neither? What if it's both? What if change isn't actually the problem? Education is hard, but it can be easier. In this week's episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we have an honest conversation with special guest Jack Berckemeyer This audio is packed with awesome ideas that are both simple and strategic. Episode Notes:  Looking for Some Lasting Change- Check out the New Course 365 Days of Awesome! monicagenta.com/365ofawesome Check out the Book 365 Days of Awesome: monicagenta.com/365-2 Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

Do you love to laugh? Do you love to learn? I think that schools should be a place where we are laughing and learning on a daily basis. And in this episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we are celebrating 3 hilarious ways to connect with your teacher pals and have some fun in your classroom and with your colleagues. This light-hearted episode features by teacher BFF, Jack Berckemeyer, and I promise you will have a blast listening to our conversation and also learning 3 easy pranks to bring some joy to this job. Episode Links: Want tons more silly ideas for your classroom? Check out these awesome teacher books: monicagenta.com/books Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

There is no doubt that education has changed over the past few years. But what do those changes mean for the big picture of schools and students? Are all the changes bad? Will we ever go back to normal? Do we even want to go back to normal? In this real and raw discussion about teaching, Jack and I explore what is to come in the future and what we can do to fix it. If you have found yourself asking the question, "what happened to education?" this episode is for you. Episode Notes:  Needing some uplifting, awesome professional development at your school next year? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Want more from Jack? Check him out! https://www.jackberckemeyer.com/ Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

Shopping, coupons, margaritas, and Macys. If you like any or all of those things, this episode is totally for you! My BFF Jack Berckemeyer and I dive into all things 80's and 90's fashion in this hilarious interview. We also get real on fashion emergencies, school uniforms, and covid shopping problems. There is SO many funny one-liners, tips, and tricks thrown out in these 30 minutes. Don't miss out on this audio shopping spree! Episode Notes:  Want to Crush It For Kids This Spring? Check out this awesome virtual course: monicagenta.com/courses Looking for some positive teacher books or inspirational teacher t-shirts? Check out: monicagenta.com/books Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: http://bit.ly/MonicaGenta Want some Awesome PD At Your School? Let's Connect:  http://monicagenta.com/pd Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd Twiiter: twitter.com/monicagentaed

From new schools to new students, Elyria Schools Superintendent Ann Schloss gives us a big-picture look at some of the many projects taking place in the district.  Here's a rundown of the topics we're covering in this episode of Petey Podcast! Wrapping up the new-school construction planReadying for new-student enrollment, enrollment fair March 12 at Ely, 9:30-NoonTeaching and learning initiativesCommunity partnershipsNew school calendarNew in the the SWC ConferenceWe're hiring!Student supports and safetyOur friend, Jack Berckemeyer!

In this special, extended episode Jack Berckemeyer and I dive deep into the state of education right now and what this means for the future. Whether you are a teacher ...

There is no I in TEAM. But there is an I in FRIENDS! Jack is my friend who is amazing at bringing teachers together to create effective teams! Check out ...

Much like episode 1, the lead or hook to a lesson can mean everything. In this episode we share ideas on how to quickly make changes to your beginnings of your lessons to draw the students in immediately. Hooks an important part of our classroom and a easy way to make the kids want to comeback. Hooks, are the lead in, something that gets your students to want more. A good hook is creative, focused, engaging the student, plays on students schema, sure to breed confidence, culturally relevant. For example, Luke used the music artist Drake and something he had advocated for in his past to lead into a Civil Rights Movement discussion. This sparked conversation among his students as they have background knowledge to make that specific example relevant to his students. Jack Berkemeyer writes in Managing the Madness about hooks. He writes about be willing to understand where your students are at and meet them there. A simple approach is to change your seating arrangements. Tom has the luxury of being the first door in the building for all of his students. The day to day variety of seating in his room is not necessarily all that creative. He has a handful of arrangements that spark the curiosity for the students who will eventually come to his classroom throughout the day. The arrangement gets the students to stop by and say, "I wonder what we will be doing today?!" For Luke this can be a picture on the board, a song playing in the backgound, a sign hanging outside of the door, etc. Accessibility is key. If it is a question posted on the board that only 2 students can answer, the lesson begins with frustration or discouragement for most of the students in the room. This is not effectively hooking anyone. Start small and infrequent. Novelty and variety keep it fresh. Don't be afraid to hook the students at the end of the class the day before. Resources:Managing the Madness by Jack Berckemeyer - http://jackberckemeyer.com/

Jack C. Berckemeyer is an engaging, thought-provoking, and very, very funny educational consultant. He is a teacher's teacher. Go ahead I dare you to listen to him and not start saying you know he makes sense. By the way, along with that acknowledgement will be a smile because he is going to make you laugh about our chosen profession.   Jack is a former middle school teacher who is a keynote speaker, a professional development expert, and a published author. You have got to check out his latest collaborative work with Debbie Silver and Judith Baenen- Deliberate Optimism: Reclaiming the Joy in Education. (Here is my review of Deliberate Optimism...I loved it. Don't worry the video is only 3:00 minutes.) He has so much to share about making teaching engaging and connecting with kids, but he also runs a conference in Destin, Florida called Nuts and Bolts Symposiums. Check out his video advertisement for the conference coming up in 2017. Make sure that you check out the many different ways on the web that you can connect with Jack through the links below.  I truly enjoyed learning from Jack and talking with him and I am sure you will, too! Enjoy! http://jackberckemeyer.com/ http://nutsandboltssymposiums.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Nuts-Bolts-Symposiums-139441078810/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7mgAziMS5s&feature=youtu.be https://twitter.com/JBerckemeyer https://www.facebook.com/berckemeyerconsulting Deliberate Optimism  My YouTube Review of Deliberate Optimism contact Jack: jack@jackberckemeyer.com Length: 41:25

Jokes: Speed Versus Age A Policeman stops a speeding car and tells the woman driver; When I saw you driving down the road, I thought to myself, sixty-five at least. The woman replied: "I don't think that is quite fair. I think this hat makes me look younger." Hearing Aids Seems an elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased you can hear again." To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will five times!" On Our Mind: NMSA 2010 Conference Santa: North Pole Activities - Paid site, but you could gather some ideas. From the Audience: In response to Reid’s question on digital science resources, I thought I could share a few thoughts and ideas. Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) Pennies for the Planet! Penny Wars! Advisory: Secret Santa The Secret Santa gift exchange is a favorite Christmas season activity. Put a twist on it in your classroom by having students give each other acts of kindness rather than gifts. Remind students how Secret Santa works. Tell them that instead of giving gifts they will be giving acts of kindness. Supply them with a few examples, such as giving compliments, helping with homework or sharing a joke. Give students slips of paper to write their names on and place them in a bag. Students draw the name of their partner for Secret Santa. Remind students to keep their identity secret. Give the students pieces of A4 paper and have them decorate with Christmas borders so that they look like scrolls. Each day students write their acts of kindness on their scrolls. At the end of the week, everyone tries to guess who their Secret Santa is, and they turn their kindness scroll over to their partner. http://www.ehow.com/list_6567051_holiday-activities-middle-school-students.html From the Twitterverse: NSMA 2010 Session 4: Session 4 April Tibbles is chief of staff. (I got to sit next to the lovely and talented April Tibbles!) Greg Darnieder is special advisor to Sec. Duncan. College Access Initiative. Leah Raphael, Patrick Desmond (Teacher fellows) (LaDezma? A little difficult to hear) Secondary planning group being developed. Think about this while we talk: If you had 60 seconds with the secretary, what would you say about middle school? Speed round: 1st word: Personalization 2nd word: Looping 3rd word: College and career readiness standards. 4th word: Rigor 5th word: Transitioning to high school. 6th word: Data Are the needs of middle school students distinct? What does a middle school look like? Reauthorization of Perkins is coming up next year. Should that program be revised to include middle grades? If you had 60 seconds with Arne Duncan . . . Secondary Schools Working Group Session 4 LA Strategies that Meet the needs of the Adolescents Jack Berckermeyer News: Scrapping Education Dept. Could Be Tough Task By Alyson Klein Webspotlight: A Closer Look at a Christmas Carol Free Audio version of A Christmas Carol The Power of Literature Circles Interactive White Boards Events & Happenings: Calendar of Events: NMSA News: * National Conference: Thursday, November 08, 2010 —Saturday, November 10, 2010 Louisville, Kentucky. o Need a letter to your administrator explaining the benefits of attending NMSA? How about this one? o Promotional Materials: + Crossword Puzzle! (Maryland Conference) Other News:

Jack Berckemeyer, assistant executive director for NMSA, is joined by Kim Campbell, classroom teacher and member of the NMSA Site-Based Services Speakers Cadre. Jack and Kim share ideas about student motivation and the role of the classroom teacher. They discuss practical ways to motivate the young adolescent.

Jokes: Things Not To Do During Exams For your classroom: http://www.mathteacherstore.com/middle/midlpost/5-8/155101main.htm Letter: Mr. TB: Thanks for letting us know we've been out of contact. We had an issue with the xml file which is now fixed. From the Twitterverse: * phsprincipal They may not listen to what you say but they always see what you do! http://post.ly/GTSK * crafty184 RT @loonyhiker: just found out that "today's date 01-02-2010 is a palindrome" * GameClassroom Schoolhouse Rock...great way to learn about Adjectives: http://bit.ly/5uwcql * drmmtatom RT @NMHS_Principal: Pre-Algebra thru Calculus resources (tutorials, sample problems, quizzes) http://bit.ly/6MzuKF * elemenous Friday 5: Best of 2009 http://www.lucygray.org/weblog/2010/01/friday-5-best-of-2009.html * bjnichols Project/problem-based learning..8 Innovative Schools Provide Ideas & Inspiration for 21st Century Education http://bit.ly/21vGS9 #edchat * dianadell Large collection of iPhone/ iPod Touch Apps for (Special) Education http://ow.ly/P6QU * drmmtatom RT @web20classroom: @TechnologyToday: 59 FREE Websites offering Interactive Educational Gaming Resources: http://bit.ly/7s3kQg * bhsprincipal Why merit pay will not work - Read drive by @danielpink. What's Arne Duncan's Twitter name? * Dumb Arguments for Stupid Ideas: http://gothamschools.org/2009/12/24/dumb-arguments-for-stupid-ideas/ Advisory: Things that happen in one minute: http://www.insurance-quotes-for-you.com/20_Things_That_Happen_In_One_Minute.html Webspotlight: Free Books: This collection features free e-books, mostly classics, that you can read on your computer, smart phone, or Kindle. It includes great works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. To learn how to download these ebooks to your computer/mobile device, please visit our eBook Primer. http://www.openculture.com/free_ebooks LoudLit: Literature for your eyes and ears. http://www.loudlit.org/ Top Documentary Films- Free An aggregation site for documentary films. They don't host them. Well organized and easy to use. You'll probably need to download the films. http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/ Newspaper Headline Create the banner and lead article for your own newspaper. http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp 15 TED Talks for Teachers to Watch Before 2010 by Free Tech 4 Teachers (Richard Byrne) OK so we're a little late- you can still watch them. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/12/10-ted-talks-for-teachers-to-watch.html NMSA09: Events & Happenings: Calendar of Events: NMSA News: * NMSA is looking for both an Executive Director and an Assistant Executive Director. Other News: * ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education. * The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting. o OMLA Registration Form o OMLA Presentation Form * The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 4-5, 2010 in Dexter, MI. MAMSE will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary! o MAMSE Exhibitor Form o MAMSE Registration Form o MAMSE Presentation Form (Presenter Deadline Extended!) * Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar. o Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog: Archived content is available. * Second Life: o Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled. See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details. o Video: Educational Uses of Second Life * Google Teacher Academy for Administrators: "For more information, please check out: http://www.google.com/educators/gtaforadmins.html OR Apply before midnight, January 25th here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dE1lYmFfTU4zN1RQWDBpX20wb3BsWXc6MA "

Jack Berckemeyer, assistant executive director of NMSA, talks with Rita Pierson about her upcoming speech at the NMSA09 Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Rita shares her thoughts on what topics she will cover as the Teacher Luncheon speaker. Rita's vast knowledge in staff motivation, poverty issues, and school climate make Rita a must hear speaker.

Bob Spear and Jack Berckemeyer discuss the importance of advisory in the middle school. They also examine how advisory has changed over the last several years with the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act and other mandates. This episode provides schools and individuals with a sense of understanding the importance a quality advisory program brings to any great middle school.

Ever wonder about the issues regarding the single sex classroom? Jack Berckemeyer, National Middle School Association assistant executive director, and Judith Baenen, editor of NMSA's The Family Connection and member of the Site-Based Services Speakers Cadre, take on this hot topic! Judith shares her knowledge of the single sex classroom and why it has become such a huge issue. The conversation also examines the differences between how girls learn versus boys and what teachers can do to address those distinctions.

Kim Campbell, a classroom teacher and member of the NMSA Site-Based Services Cadre, talks about the SOAR program with NMSA's Assistant Executive Director, Jack Berckemeyer. The SOAR program has been used at Kim's school to help deal with the achievement gap. Jack and Kim share practical ways to introduce SOAR and provide concrete examples of the program's impact in the lives of young adolescents.

In this episode, Jack Berckemeyer, assistant executive director for National Middle School Association, talks with middle level expert and member of the NMSA Site-Based Services Speakers Cadre Nancy Doda on the issues of student motivation. Nancy shares information about the power of student choice and the impact of allowing students to have a voice in the classroom.

Jill Spencer, a member of the NMSA Site-Based Services Speakers Cadre, has a discussion about cyber citizenship and its issues with Jack Berckemeyer, assistant executive director for National Middle School Association. Jill explains what it means to be a good cyber citizen in today's day and age. She elaborates on appropriate actions for young adolescents when dealing with technology, and shares some great examples for classroom teachers to use.

Features Kathy Hunt Ullock, educational consultant and member of the National Middle School Association Site Based Services cadre, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Kathy and Jack offer advice to the new teacher and discuss the importance of establishing a support system.

Features Ross Burkhardt, former teacher, past president of National Middle School Association, and a member of NMSA's Site Based Services cadre talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Ross and Jack talk about building professional relationships within the school.

Features Sherrel Bergmann, middle level educator and consultant, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Sherrel and Jack share concrete, practical suggestions for the new teacher. They also comment on steps to build safe, respectful relationships in the classroom.

Features Walt Grebing, consultant and former middle level principal, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Walt and Jack discuss what principals are looking for during the interview process and tips on how to adjust to your new school environment.

Features Judy Brough, professor of middle level education and consultant, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Judy and Jack talk about pre-service teacher education and reflective classroom practice.

Features Debbie Silver, middle level educator and consultant, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Debbie and Jack offer ideas and concrete suggestions to help the new teacher organize for success.

Features Dave Shepard, a former middle level principal, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Dave and Jack talk about identifying a good teaching candidate, and offer advice to the new teacher about first steps in classroom management and student motivation.

Features Judith Baenen, middle level professor and educator, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Judith and Jack talk about building relationships with parents and families, pre-service course work, suppporting new teachers, and maintaining a sense of humor.

Features Nick Toombs, a second year teacher in Denver, CO, talking with Jack Berckemeyer, NMSA assistant executive director. Nick shares some of his experiences as a new teacher and talks about the preparation necessary for the first interview and the difference between his first and second years of teaching.

Features Gail Heinemeyer, former middle school principal, talking with NMSA directors Jack Berckemeyer and Mary Henton. The conversation focuses on the advantages of staff participation in a book study on This We Believe: Successful School for Young Adolescents. Gail also offers advice to leverage data for student achievement.