Too many rules restrict teenagers' freedoms and development. How can schools straddle the line between providing safety and harmony for students, but also giving them room to make their own mistakes and assert independence? Benson looks at the problem of too many rules, and how it not only harms students, but also interpersonal relationships…

Declining academic performance, along with a growing apathy of students toward the value of education, demonstrates that students in the United States public education system do not recognize the value of a positive experience in middle schools. A plethora of research and writing has been done on elementary schools and secondary schools, but…

This article describes activities that can be used with multiple audiences of teachers, administrators, or other caregivers regarding setting boundaries in personal relationships with students. First, participants must think about and discuss relationships that they experienced with their own teachers in the past and determine what aspects of…

Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of…

For all students, the academic demands of secondary school are numerous. Students must be able to read and write in a variety of content areas; determine the importance of what is being said by the instructor; take notes in a format that can be used later for review; and keep track of their materials, class requirements, and daily schedules. Most…

Adolescents spend a large proportion of their day in school or pursuing school-related activities. While the primary purpose of school is the academic development of students, its effects on adolescents are far broader, also encompassing their physical and mental health, safety, civic engagement, and social development. Further, its effects on all…

The Surgeon General, the Nation's top public health officer, is appointed by the President of the United States to help protect and promote the health of the Nation. The recently published "Surgeon General's Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking" [ED496083] highlights underage alcohol use as a major public health and…

Many learning disabled adolescent students can have a successful college experience if a school follows appropriate guidelines for counseling such students. The guidelines include establishing objective criteria for students' college abilities and needs, continuing to evaluate learning problems, and researching available college programs. (CJH)

The whole middle school movement is based on the knowledge that children between the ages of 10 and 14 have special developmental needs. Summarizes recent research findings. A sidebar lists eight recommendations for middle school executives adapted from the Carnegie Corporation document "Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st…

The dramatic ups and downs so often witnessed in adolescents are the result of changes in their brain activity. It is vital that the emotional and psychological needs that arise from such intense brain development are acknowledged and addressed so that middle school becomes a safe environment for the budding adults.

Examines the variety of informal groups of adolescents that exist throughout Russia today. Categorizes these groups according to their beliefs and behavior. Maintains that the situation of Russian young people today is a disaster zone. (CFR)

This document was developed to provide principals and teachers with an understanding of the concept and process of student transition to secondary school and to suggest creative ways which teachers have found that will enable educators to facilitate students' transition into and through some of the early secondary grades. The monograph is…

Early adolescence is a time when students require adult assistance to become accurate and effective decision makers and problem solvers. Because of the fragmented nature of society, the family structure, and the schooling process, schools need to establish a nonthreatening environment in which students can discuss the issues related to growing up.…

This document discusses the question of gender in youth development programs, those structured activities and opportunities sponsored by organizations other than schools and offered outside of school hours. Many of these organizations offer programs for people of all ages but the clear focus of this paper is early adolescence, about ages 10 to 15.…

Challenges inherent in providing AIDS/HIV education programs to reduce student involvement in behaviors that place them at risk are examined in this bulletin. Chapter 1 highlights some of the limitations of many existing programs and offers strategies for strengthening educational efforts. Chapter 2 explores some of the factors that affect whether…