Kathleen Vail

As a mother and grandmother, I’ve long known that middle school can be challenging in many ways. But as a math educator at the high school and college level, it’s only recently become clear to me just how difficult those years are for kids academically—particularly in math. With glaring headlines and bad news at every turn, it’s a problem we can no longer afford to ignore.

Q: “I’ve been teaching for a long time. My middle school students seem particularly rambunctious as we near the end of the school year. Do you have any quick tips to help keep them engaged and not disruptive as we get closer to the end of the year? Thank you in advance.” A: The end of the year hits middle school students hard.

Q: As I’m waiting for my community to vote on the budget and worrying about funding for next year, I am struggling with what to prioritize if programs need to be cut. How can we make these kinds of decisions when all our programs and faculty are vital to the success of our students?” Signed, A concerned superintendent A: No one likes having to make these kinds of decisions, so I can empathize with the agony this must be creating for you.