Middle School Matters

By Troy Patterson, Shawn McGirr

What's Middle School Matters about?

MSM-Middle School Matters is designed for Middle School Educators. We focus on the Middle School educators. Providing news, conversation on relevant topics, and links to other great sites, we want to reach out to other middle school educators. Join in the discussion at MiddleSchoolMatters.com

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Middle School Matters episodes:

12.23.2023
MSM 609: Scurryfunge Songs
Shawn and Troy talk about Moodle, Christmas Break, Public Domain, and more. Dave continues with the best books about Science.
12.16.2023
MSM 608: Bayardism - It’s Going to Hit This Week
Shawn and Troy talk about the upcoming break, virtual school days, AI and more. Dave shares a couple of the best science books of 2023.
12.09.2023
MSM 607: Rememble This, Or Not . . .
Shawn and Troy talk about student research in Moodle, some inquiry cubes, and more. Dave hears an Acoustician.
12.02.2023
MSM 606: What are you thinking about, The Roman Empire or AI?
Shawn and Troy talk about AI in the classroom and education. Dave spotlights Joanna Haigh..
11.25.2023
MSM 605: A Precipitous Decline of Creativity
Shawn and Troy struggle with the jokes, review the web, hear voices (and create voices), and more. Dave has the concepts and practices of science.
11.18.2023
MSM 604: Hot Stuff Inside the Fish Bowl
Shawn and Troy talk about YIG (Youth In Government), breaks, jokes, hacks, and more. Dave eclipses us all.
11.04.2023
MSM-603_Waldorf_Statler
Shawn and Troy channel Waldorf and Statler. Dave, has well, Beavers from Space.
10.28.2023
MSM 602: Unboxing the Runcible Spoon
Shawn and Troy talk about Maine Events, finding joy, presentations, unboxing videos, and more. Dave takes Science Out the Door.
10.21.2023
MSM 601: Sad News, Hastings Has Posted An Obituary
Shawn and Troy talk about State History Day, Parent Tech Night, and more. David is teaching through Virtual Reality.
10.14.2023
MSM 600: It’s All About AI
Shawn and Troy talk about AI, ACTEM, collaboration, and more. Dave is cultivating collaboration.
10.07.2023
MSM 599: Ipsedixitist, Peninkulma
Troy and Shawn discuss AI quite a bit. We also have some fun with words and kids. Dave swings in with playground physics.
09.30.2023
MSM 598: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!
Troy and Shawn talk about AI, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, teaching strategies, and more.
09.23.2023
MSM 597: Goblin Tools, not just for the Cafeteria!
Shawn and Troy talk about AI, tools, students, and more. Dave has Science, Science, Everywhere.
09.16.2023
MSM 596: Orange Agronomist
Shawn and Troy talk about starting of the school year. Dave plants the concept of an Agronomist.
08.26.2023
MSM 595: Kanso or NoKanso?
Shawn and Troy discuss back to school, AI in schools, Moodle and more. Dave names the Dinos.
08.19.2023
MSM 594: Brim’Tud Will Be Easier Than Puggle!
Shawn and Troy talk about preparing for the new year, living at the school, and more. Dave brings in biomimicry with all its advantages.
08.12.2023
MSM 593: The Exact Right Size to Not Be Useful
Shawn and Troy are back after a break. Dave has a total MEGA movie that eclipses all others (and you can get involved).
07.15.2023
MSM 592: Scrolling Like A Boomer
Shawn and Troy talk about summer, microphones, ChatGPT, and more. Dave shines the light on the Great Eclipse of 2024.
07.08.2023
MSM 591: Filled With Prosody
Shawn and Troy talk about teaching kids to read, summer activities, and more. Dave takes a teachable moment with the sun not in his eyes.
07.01.2023
MSM 590: Stitches and Staples
Shawn and Troy talk about H5P, summer, socials, and more. Dave builds some science.
06.24.2023
MSM 589: The Most Organized Chaos I’ve Ever Seen
Shawn and Troy talk about transitioning the year, organized chaos, moving and more. Dave has part 2 of Scientific Literacy.
06.17.2023
MSM 588: Easy Grader and Overhead Transparencies
Shawn and Troy talk about the end of the year. Dave presents Scientific Literacy, Part 1.
06.10.2023
MSM 587: Meanderthals, or 7th Graders?
Shawn and Troy talk about the end of the year, share lots of stories and more. Dave thunders in with a great activity.
06.03.2023
MSM 586: The Nightingale Floor
Shawn and Troy talk about Genius Week, the end of the year, and more. Dave is a natural disaster, oops, talks about natural disasters.
05.27.2023
MSM 585: A Fit of the Clevers!
Shawn and Troy share jokes, resources, grading thoughts, influencers, and more. Dave frogs out, er, well, give it a listen.
05.20.2023
MSM 584: Pink Shirts on the Elevators
Shawn and Troy talk about Washington D.C. trip, institutional knowledge, end of the year, beginning of the year and more . Dave brings some real-world problems.
05.13.2023
MSM 583: Quiddle or Spring Fever
Shawn and Troy talk about ISTE standards, Moodle data reports, and more. Dave reflects on NGSS.
04.29.2023
MSM 582: When Speaking in Spammish, Shouldn’t There Be An Accent?
Shawn and Troy share testing, email woes, time markers, and more. Dave has some great books (and some feedback from last week’s show).
04.15.2023
MSM 581: Slinging the Slang Making Us Thirsty!
Shawn and Troy talk about reading, SEL, and more. Dave has his (and student’s heads) in the clouds.
04.08.2023
MSM 580: I Get What They Are Trying to Do, But “Oh, My Goodness”
Shawn and Troy talk about the impact of COVID on students, executive function, and more. Dave shares time management tips in Science.
04.01.2023
MSM 579: The Nintendo Effect - Brutally Honest!
Shawn and Troy talk about break, books, student perspectives of a trip and more. Dave gets salty with kids participating.
03.25.2023
MSM 578: There’s A Lot In That Question . . .
Shawn and Troy discuss AI Art, Competencies, break, and more. Dave populates our Science brain.
03.18.2023
MSM 577: Hoisted on my Own Petard
Shawn and Troy discuss presentations, Advisory, H5P, and much more. Dave is all Systems Technology Engineer Go!
03.04.2023
MSM 576: Teaching Chrome: Ipsedixitism
Shawn and Troy talk about Moodle, Presentations, and more. Dave reviews the Pandemic Impact on Students.
02.25.2023
MSM 575: The Day That Didn’t Count
Shawn and Troy talk about the week “off”, middle schoolers being middle schoolers and more. Dave heats up.
02.18.2023
MSM 574: Farpotshket
Shawn and Troy talk about break, creating your own computers, interesting words and more. Dave tells us how kids can get involved with Marine Iguanas.
02.11.2023
MSM 573: Defenestrate Your Way To Safety
Shawn and Troy discuss defenestration, AI, and more. Dave is statistically correct.
02.04.2023
MSM 572: That’s Great . . . Until You Get the Humans Involved!
Shawn and Troy talk about Parent Conferences, Moodle Flow, AI and more. Dave is trading in some books.
01.28.2023
MSM 571: Industrial PD Day!
Shawn and Troy discuss AI in education, PD, and more. Dave has Ecosystem Dynamics.
01.21.2023
MSM 570: Drop A Little NOLEJ on Yourself.
Shawn and Troy discuss the NOLEJ beta, discuss AI, the Social Web, and more. Dave demonstrates why we should demonstrate.
01.14.2023
MSM 569: The Principal Might Not Know, But The Kid Down the Hall Does!
Shawn and Troy talk quite a bit about AI. Dave has some solid and gaseous reporting for us.
01.07.2023
MSM 568: Fantasy World of Wonder and Danger OR Middle School
Shawn and Troy discuss NOLEJ, a beta program, AI, and more. Dave brings Environmental Justice to us.
12.31.2022
MSM 567: 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. – Normal Working Hours for Middle School
Shawn and Troy discuss what they did over break (including a comic), more on AI, social media, and more. Dave discusses the 5E Learning Cycle.
12.17.2022
MSM 566: Just A Minute, I have to Word It Right in Chat GPT...
Shawn and Troy talk about ChatGPT, how teachers could use it, and more. Dave takes us to Mars.
12.10.2022
MSM 565: Do You Know Where the Fire Escape Goes To? I Do…
Shawn and Troy talk about the NCSS Conference, 7th-grade art, and more. Dave drops the SKNOWLEDGE.
11.19.2022
MSM 564:Beauty is in the A.I. of the Beholder
Shawn and Troy talk about computer carts, coteaching, the Fediverse, and more. Dave is going all 3D.
11.12.2022
MSM 563:Opening the Glory Box and AMLE 22
Shawn and Troy share some jokes, talk about AMLE, and more. Dave heads to space with Astonomer.
10.22.2022
MSM 562: The English Teacher is Cheating!
Shawn and Troy talk about conferences, kids seeing the future, and more. Dave focuses on student collaboration for Science success.
10.15.2022
MSM 561: The Full Moon Experience
Shawn and Troy talk about conferences, full moon, and more. Dave has part two on Air Pressure and Barometers.
10.08.2022
MSM 560: Under Pressure
Shawn and Troy talk about MAMLE, middle school concepts, micro-credentials, and more. Dave puts us under pressure.

What's Middle School Matters about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Middle School Matters episodes:

MSM 609: Scurryfunge Songs

MSM 608: Bayardism - It’s Going to Hit This Week

MSM 607: Rememble This, Or Not . . .

MSM 606: What are you thinking about, The Roman Empire or AI?

MSM 605: A Precipitous Decline of Creativity

MSM 604: Hot Stuff Inside the Fish Bowl

MSM-603_Waldorf_Statler

MSM 602: Unboxing the Runcible Spoon

MSM 601: Sad News, Hastings Has Posted An Obituary

MSM 600: It’s All About AI

MSM 599: Ipsedixitist, Peninkulma

MSM 598: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

MSM 597: Goblin Tools, not just for the Cafeteria!

MSM 596: Orange Agronomist

MSM 595: Kanso or NoKanso?

MSM 594: Brim’Tud Will Be Easier Than Puggle!

MSM 593: The Exact Right Size to Not Be Useful

MSM 592: Scrolling Like A Boomer

MSM 591: Filled With Prosody

MSM 590: Stitches and Staples

MSM 589: The Most Organized Chaos I’ve Ever Seen

MSM 588: Easy Grader and Overhead Transparencies

MSM 587: Meanderthals, or 7th Graders?

MSM 586: The Nightingale Floor

MSM 585: A Fit of the Clevers!

MSM 584: Pink Shirts on the Elevators

MSM 583: Quiddle or Spring Fever

MSM 582: When Speaking in Spammish, Shouldn’t There Be An Accent?

MSM 581: Slinging the Slang Making Us Thirsty!

MSM 580: I Get What They Are Trying to Do, But “Oh, My Goodness”

MSM 579: The Nintendo Effect - Brutally Honest!

MSM 578: There’s A Lot In That Question . . .

MSM 577: Hoisted on my Own Petard

MSM 576: Teaching Chrome: Ipsedixitism

MSM 575: The Day That Didn’t Count

MSM 574: Farpotshket

MSM 573: Defenestrate Your Way To Safety

MSM 572: That’s Great . . . Until You Get the Humans Involved!

MSM 571: Industrial PD Day!

MSM 570: Drop A Little NOLEJ on Yourself.

MSM 569: The Principal Might Not Know, But The Kid Down the Hall Does!

MSM 568: Fantasy World of Wonder and Danger OR Middle School

MSM 567: 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. – Normal Working Hours for Middle School

MSM 566: Just A Minute, I have to Word It Right in Chat GPT...

MSM 565: Do You Know Where the Fire Escape Goes To? I Do…

MSM 564:Beauty is in the A.I. of the Beholder

MSM 563:Opening the Glory Box and AMLE 22

MSM 562: The English Teacher is Cheating!

MSM 561: The Full Moon Experience

MSM 560: Under Pressure