Summary:
Shawn and Troy talk about AI, professional development, and more. Dave goes through the ups and downs, riding the rollercoaster of knowledge.
Jokes:
Yes, this movie is pirated.
- I gave it 3.14159 stars
Don’t You Dare
Vs
Do not you dare
As dogs age, they may not get around as well as they used to because of arfritis.
it’s weird that if you need to be louder, you can choose between a microphone and a megaphone
heard a pun about a potato
- eye wont tell you the pun but it was very a peeling…
Someone told me that if you hold a Shell up you can hear the sea.
- All I got was 6 years for armed robbery.
Middle School Science Minute
by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)
K12Science Podcast: Rollercoaster Engineer
I was recently reading the July-August 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.
In this issue, I read the section, “Career of the Month” written by Luba Vangelova. She wrote an article entitled, “Rollercoaster Engineer Greg Lewis.”
Rollercoaster engineers design and maintain amusement park rides. The largest parks have staff engineers; the rest contract out such work to companies that specialize in this field. Greg Lewis works for Skyline Attractions, based in Orlando, Florida.
https://k12science.net/rollercoaster-engineer/
Reports from the Front Lines
- Computer Settings
- Kids Back
- Exit Tickets
- Interdisciplinary
- Certainty Based Marking: https://tmedwin.net/cbm/
The Social Web
The no phones policy has been in place for a week, and since my students can only use laptops when I explicitly allow them, I have more kids reading than ever before
We are gonna set up reading nooks around campus
REVIEW: A Research-Based, Easy Read for New Teachers You’re a Teacher Now: What’s Next? is an easy, well-organized read sharing a wide range of proven practices for new teachers, says teacher educator Michelle Schwartze. #edutwitter #newteacher #educoach https://middleweb.com/52544/research
We’re excited to announce a new virtual opportunity for the AMLE community, the Middle School Leadership Roundtable! Hosted by edu leaders from AMLE Schools of Distinction, these sessions will serve as a platform for school leaders to engage in meaningful conversations on critical topics of the day. Join us https://amle.org/roundtable
Type the @ symbol in the #Gemini chat box to connect to Google services like YouTube. This lets you pull in content from other places…a great way to find videos for your next lesson! #GoogleEDU
National Park Service @NatlParkService
You could also read aloud the passive aggressive email you wrote to Carol after she scheduled a meeting at 4:30 on Friday. The bear may come closer or stand on its hind legs to better understand Carol’s audacity. However, a standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.
“You get three free vents…then it’s time for solutions.” Jack joins us with one final tip to close out our month-long celebration of middle school teaming. Don’t forget to grab Successful Middle School Teaming while it’s still on sale through Sunday! https://amle.org/smsteaming
Video: https://x.com/i/status/1961407258870321340
Word of the Day is ‘theic’ (19th century), defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘one given to immoderate tea-drinking; a tea drunkard’.
Resources:
AXIS The Culture Translator
Laufey, Out Loud
What it is: Jazz-forward pop songstress Laufey released a new studio album, A Matter of Time, on August 22.
Why it’s right on trend: Laufey’s music is weird, but in a vividly imagined, not-a-single-note-wrong kind of way. Singles from her new album include “Snow White,” a vulnerable acoustic ballad about struggling with self-worth in a world that emphasizes physical beauty. She criticizes the hypocrisy of the “sick world” that pretends to value other things, singing, “beauty always wins, and I don’t have enough of it… I’ll never have enough of it.” Icelandic by birth, Laufey’s music feels like Björk with a side of European Billie Eilish. The songs are epically arranged and memorably performed, and Laufey’s intentional and deeply personal relationship with her fans has made her a big success with younger listeners. Her previous album, Bewitched, was the most listened-to jazz album to ever hit Spotify. Some of Laufey’s music does feature profanity.
What A.I. Really Means for Learning
Cell Phone Bans
Michigan Cell Phone Ban is stuck in the House, but passes in the Senate. Is your state considering a cell phone ban?
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0234
Web Spotlight:
AI Is a Mass-Delusion Event
Why A.I. Should Make Parents Rethink Posting Photos of Their Children Online
Teens say they are turning to AI for friendship
Social Media Shortens Your Life. Here’s How to Get Time Back.
https://www.thefp.com/p/social-media-shortens-your-life-heres-how-to-get-time-back
The troubling decline in conscientiousness
‘The Worst Rule I Ever Had to Live With …’: The Policies Teachers Hate
- No to Zero-Tolerance Policies – In one high school where I worked, the administration decided to instill a zero-tolerance policy for wearing baseball caps because it was seen as a way for students who were in gangs to show their gang affiliations. Students were told that if they wore a cap, it would equate to an immediate three-day suspension.
- Using ‘Retakes’ – The worst rule I ever had to live with was that if I were giving a retake of a test or quiz that I must average the two together.
- The Need for Flexibility – The worst directive that I have experienced as a teacher was being told that I could not continue using a lesson-classification system in my classroom. The classification consisted of naming assignments according to must-do, should-do, and aspire-to-do in my classroom.
Random Thoughts . . .
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