No abstract

School closings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced teachers across the world to scramble to shift their face-to-face classes online. This rapid transition to what we call "quaranteaching" has left teachers little time to prepare for virtual teaching and learning. Acknowledging this challenge, in this article we share steps, strategies, tips, and resources to support and empower middle grades educators to successfully continue the online instruction (more accurately called "crisis teaching") they have begun. We offer approaches to implementing collaboration, differentiation, and personalized learning, as well as approaches for authentically assessing student learning in a virtual learning environment. Issues such as access and equity are discussed, and unit ideas are shared. The skills and tools middle level educators are sharpening will likely also be used in subsequent years even when a health crisis is not in effect. An organized chart with multiple curated technology tools for young adolescents is also included.

The COVID-19 pandemic dropped educators across the world straight into remote learning with little time to prepare. As some have inevitably struggled, other middle grades educators have overcome beginning hurdles to not only survive but thrive amidst this new challenge. One teacher in particular, despite being in her first year, has found innovative ways to connect and motivate her middle grades students in a virtual environment. This article extends the steps, tips, and resources article (Pace, Pettit, & Barker, also in this issue) to provide a personal example of the successes (and yet still challenges) that exist when "quaranteaching" is done well. From TikTok videos, to Kahoot games played over Zoom, to contests to encourage attendance and increase motivation, Amanda Woods, winner of the National Association of Professors of Middle Level Education (NAPOMLE) Teacher Candidate of the Year in 2019, shares how she continues to meet the developmental needs of her young middle grades students even when she cannot see them physically each day.

The Augusta University Online Teaching Module is a key assessment administered once during one specified course in each educator preparation program. Augusta University teacher candidates are required to show proficiency in ISTE standards and CAEP standard 1.5. The online teaching model measures candidates' ability to apply technology standards in order to design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning. In order to pass the Online Teaching Module, candidates must score 3 out of 4 possible points on at least five of the six indicators. If a candidate does not pass this assessment, goals will be created along with strategies to require the candidate to improve on area(s) of weakness in technology use. After the strategies have been implemented, the candidate will be able to redo this key assessment. Candidates will not be able to progress to student teaching without passing this assessment. This paper outlines this key assessment's administration, purpose, instructions, and rubric. We hope it will be useful to others as they prepare for CAEP visits.

In this chapter, middle schools are presented metaphorically as layover airports, and the need to see middle schools as more like destinations is explored. How can positive learning experiences in middle schools be created given the short time frame and the transitional nature inherent in even the most effective middle schools? The metaphor of a layover airport that students often enter middle school expecting is juxtaposed to illustrating the characteristics of and potential for middle schools in the United States as destinations. This is done using exemplar experiences and middle schools from vastly different locations with varying characteristics and needs, yet all providing positive experiences for young adolescents. This comparison will be made based on what is known about the developmental nature and needs of young adolescents served in middle schools and also on recommendations for effective middle schools made by the Association for Middle Level Education.