This week, author Emily Giffin (who just happens to have a book coming out) told the AP that her comments last month about Meghan Markle were “mean” and that she “need[s] to be more careful about the impact of [her] words.”

Back in May, Giffin called Markle phony and unmaternal, picking apart (apparently with friends) a short video of Markle and her son reading together. She even criticized the choice to allow the baby to appear on video in a onesie. However, she was quick to assert that her comments weren’t racist.

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My middle school students in Atlanta have two short teleconferences every day to check in.

We are getting about half of the students on these calls regularly.

Of these, there are always three to five students who sit silently with their cameras off for the duration of the call, leaving the rest of us to gaze at a black box.

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When I tell people that I run a tiny academic program for middle schoolers (aptly named The Little Middle School), the reaction is almost always the same.

“Middle school? Oh, middle school is awful.”

Or worse, “middle schoolers are awful!” 

Why does middle school have such a bad rap? Why do adults have such miserable memories of these early years of puberty?

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Fashion is fascinating.

Among tastemakers and influentials, having a distinctive style is a must. Your job is to signal that you are someone with vision, boldness, and flair. You’re effortlessly unique and hip, with just the right amount of outrageousness, reminding mere mortals that you are a professional on a closed course — do not attempt these moves yourself.

And yet, before long, these edgy fashions make their way into the mainstream. Colorful hair, undercuts, sleeve tattoos, multiple piercings, pattern mixing, asymmetrical shirts, dresses with sneakers, androgynous clothing and styling — any of these things can be seen in a typical middle school classroom (well, maybe not the sleeve tattoos).

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Last Thursday, Good Morning America did a quick segment about Prince George’s activities. Host Lara Spencer, encouraged by a laughing audience and co-host, used a mocking tone when she mentioned that George is taking ballet classes. She implied that the child’s enthusiasm for dance will not last.

I watched the segment, which has been shared widely by appropriately outraged people, with a mix of revulsion and dismay. First of all, why are adults even talking about a child’s activities on national television? I understand that the British royal family is fascinating to many, but surely we can find things to discuss other than a six-year-old.

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Anything new starts out as someone’s idea. Someone tries something, and if someone else sparks to it, they may try it, too.

At a certain point, these ideas become established as the new norm. Social media has accelerated this process. An idea can become a trend or even a movement very quickly.

As a new idea gains traction, the culture (or subculture) shifts to accommodate it. Maybe the new thing gets a name. Now, it seems as if it was always present.

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When I founded The Little Middle School, I had not taught in a public school setting in over a decade. Therefore, I was a bit of an outsider to the world of formal education.

This had some disadvantages, but also distinct benefits. I could look at existing practices with fresh eyes. Below, I will share a few conventions that are taken for granted but don’t have to be. Best of all, changing them doesn’t require a complete overhaul of our education system.

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