After taking over a course on adolescent learning theory, two professors recognized the need for radical change -- specifically with regard to the ethical considerations of a required project that involved interviews with middle level learners. The interviews, embedded within a service-learning assignment for this undergraduate course, were…

This study sought to investigate how students access and how teachers foster creativity in the curriculum and find solutions to student and teacher disengagement with creative alternatives to traditional assignments and assessments at a public school in the Northeast of the United States. The inability of many public school teachers to properly…

"This We Believe" advocates the use of a curriculum that maximizes early adolescent learning by integrating multiple disciplines rather than teaching them in isolation. The development of an interdisciplinary curricular unit is a common assignment in middle grades teacher education programs that seek to prepare teacher candidates to…

In modern school education, the integration of technology has revolutionized traditional teaching methods and introduced innovative approaches to curriculum design. Class blogs and student blogs have emerged as dynamic web 2.0 tools that hold immense potential to transform the learning experience in schools. This abstract explores the utilization…

The idea of place extends beyond just the location where people live. Place is a narrative, a story that involves interactions, characters, conflicts, and the rise and flow of humanity. By understanding the importance of place and the connection to the places from which people originate, the people, their motivations, and their strengths and…

A successful middle school team of teachers employed effective middle level philosophy to structure a curriculum around themes that were relevant, challenging, integrative, and engaging for their particular students and community. Realizing that their young adolescents were involved in tough, delicate issues in their out-of-school lives, the…