The benefits of afterschool activity participation for youth development are well-documented. An interesting question dominating this field is whether there is a threshold at which point participating in too many activities (breadth) and spending too much time in those activities (intensity) is negatively associated with desirable outcomes. Using…

As educators increase their use of digital technologies across learning modalities, some schools are experimenting with highly flexible models of learning that maximize opportunities to support learner preferences. The perceptions of these programs by teachers, parents, and students are crucial for building and maintaining community support and…

Perfect for grade 9 to 12 classroom teachers and educational administrators--including principals, assistant principals, staff development professionals, and consultants--"Discipline in the Secondary Classroom" constitutes an indispensable resource for anyone aiming to achieve a civil, safe, and fair classroom environment. Student…

The move from eighth to ninth grade can be an emotional time. Students experience feelings of isolation and the fear of the unknown. In the transition, grade nine students experience a number of first times that challenge their abilities to manage their time wisely and stay focused. These first times include: (a) taking a class that counts towards…

This study examines the impact of successive versus non-successive scheduling of mathematics courses on the achievement of ninth-grade students in a suburban Oregon high school. The Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and student performance on the geometry course final exam were employed to compare the achievement of intact groups of…

Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) is a social emotional model that achieves academic outcomes through combining use of real-time student data with proven relationship-building strategies and intensive teacher collaboration to prevent course failure. BARR is a recipient of US Department of Education "Investing in Innovation (i3)"…

This qualitative case study analyzed how one interdisciplinary team within a large middle school fostered a responsive adolescent-centered community for eighth-grade team students. Data were collected during the spring semester of the 2009 school year via observations, individual interviews, and focus group interviews with nine participants,…

New 9th graders reflect on the worries they had as middle school students about moving into high school. They also suggest ways of easing the transition and providing support in 9th grade. Teens want teachers to connect middle school students regularly with high school students, give them more responsibility in middle school, and focus on…