Delineates specific psychosocial developmental demands placed upon middle schoolers and links these demands to the self-concept disturbance they typically feel. Offers a number of general recommendations useful to educators who are interested in considering the relationship between educational experiences and self-concept disturbance among early…

Suggestions are made for implementing programs that enhance students' self-concept and self-esteem. Eight program activities illustrate examples of what principals can do for students in these areas. (MLF)

The author, born with a severe visual impairment, addresses the tendency of adolescents with visual impairments to try to hide the disability and "pass" as unimpaired with their peers. It is suggested that these adolescents be helped to find a comfortable balance between taking excessive risks and allowing visual impairment or blindness to be an…

Activities and lessons, based on the theory of active learning and designed for a course to promote student involvement, are discussed in this document. Each activity is described and followed by an evaluation that students completed immediately following the activity. Students were asked about how interesting, useful, and relevant each of the…

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.…

Contrasts motives for adolescent suicide around the turn of the century with motivations for suicide in the 1980s. Concludes that suicide motivations changed from fear of punishment to those involving identity crises. Uses case studies to discuss relationship of causative factors and to illustrate appropriate pedagogical action. (KO)

The 14 articles in this theme issue are divided into five categories: Youth and Literature--Issues and Opportunities; Portrayals of Children and Youth in Literature; Youth and Their Parents in Literature; Death and Bereavement in Young People's Literature; and Epilogue. The final section focuses on Literature and Youth Development--Implications…

Reports on a study of 120 (60 boys, 60 girls) middle school students in Bophuthatswana on the relation of academic achievement to self-concept and locus of control. Finds that measures of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism are related negatively to school achievement. (CFR)

This document presents a health curriculum guide for junior high school students in Alberta, Canada. The introduction discusses the program rationale, curriculum themes, goals, a decision-making model, time allocations of program components, content overlap, characteristics of adolescent development, and the exceptional student. Ways to develop…

This practicum designed and implemented a body image improvement program for seven severely emotionally disturbed latency-aged girls. Students participated once per week for 12 weeks in individual art therapy and in group sessions. The practicum incorporated therapeutic art activities with verbal interactions and utilized human growth films,…

This document presents a teacher resource manual to use with the Health and Personal Life Skills Curriculum Guide for junior high school students developed by the Alberta Department of Education in 1986. It provides practical suggestions to teachers, with emphasis on evaluation in the affective domain, teaching the elective portion of the…

Reports on study in which 81 high school students were interviewed about group stratification and its impact on individual adolescents. Finds many students labeled as "nerds" in middle school were able to improve their self-concept and reconstruct themselves as "normal" in high school. Contends expanded range of school activities and more diverse…

When early adolescents equate body image with self-image, they risk eating and exercise disorders, with dangerous results. Interviews with two experts present information to help middle school teachers understand the problem and intervene with students whose preoccupation with appearance or prowess can, taken to the extreme, be fatal. (SM)

This guide is one component of Hawaii's State Plan for Comprehensive Guidance Program for grades 9-12 and is intended to provide a structure for a sequential, required, one-semester course in guidance at the 9th or 10th grade level. It includes 62 lessons equally divided among the three central themes addressed in the course: Self-Awareness and…

Describes the basic principles of the Personal Discovery Approach to motivating students (individuation, tasks, journey, imagery, dreams) and program modules (survival strategies, autobiographical work, "Express Yourself,""Experimental Listening," value clarification, "Group Time,""Human…