Physical education (PE) class can be the first-time students experience structured physical activities, and competitive activities may comprise the majority of activities. If a student experiences success they may want to continue participation; however, after middle school, female participation declines sharply. The framework used in this study,…

This phenomenological study examined how eighth grade students in a privileged suburban community and school district understood their civic identities and saw their roles and responsibilities as citizens. Through analyzing artifacts the student participants generated in their eighth grade civics social studies class and conducting semi-structured…

The incorporation of Arts Integration in today's classroom has been utilized in an effort to promote higher levels of student engagement and learning. This teaching strategy exposes students to a new way of learning which researchers have said can lead to increased student attendance, engagement, and achievement (Darts, 2006; Gajda & Dorfram,…

With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) in 2004, students with disabilities are expected to be educated in the least restrictive environment to the greatest extent possible. Through the practice of inclusive education, students with disabilities who are classified and possess IEPs can be…

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state's standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future…

Because it is not clear that teachers will volunteer for good professional development if it is made available, this study used surveys--including social network analysis--and interviews to examine why teachers did and did not participate in one school's high-quality study group. While all teachers were motivated by intrinsic incentives, two…

Researchers have conducted both theoretical and empirical research on the participation of youth in sports to understand the motivation to continue involvement. Researchers have further examined the positive effects of sports on youth who participate. Although information has been gathered in these areas regarding keeping middle school and high…

The programs of the Rutgers' Center for Family Involvement in Schools create a partnership for learning between families and schools that promotes and enhances academic success. They also create a powerful school climate that demonstrates respect, trust, and belonging. In addition to teacher-training programs, the center conducts summer leadership…

This qualitative multi-case study explored the perceptions and beliefs of teachers of students in Grade 9 and 10, at a high school in south-central New Jersey, who taught traditional classroom courses that incorporated technology, regarding their lived experiences delivering homebound instruction for the same curriculum. Technology used in the…

In this study, the researcher endeavored to examine Morris County, New Jersey, middle school teacher and principal perspectives on the use of technology in their classrooms and schools. Specifically, this study examined teacher engagement, implementation and limitations related to the use of technology with middle school students. This study used…

This study employs latent class analysis to construct bullying involvement typologies among 3,114 students (48% male, 58% White) in 40 middle schools across the United States. Four classes were constructed: victims (15%); bullies (13%); bully/victims (13%); and noninvolved (59%). Respondents who were male and participated in fewer conventional…

In this paper, we discuss our experiences with an after-school program in which we engaged middle-school students with low socioeconomic status from an urban community in mathematical problem solving. We document that these students participated in many aspects of problem solving, including the posing of problems, constructing justifications,…

This paper takes a descriptive look at Community Science Workshops (CSWs). This paper discusses what CSW is, how it arose and spread, how local CSWs are structured and led, and what programs and experiences they offer to youth. (Contains 2 footnotes.)

Hispanic females are a rapidly growing population and are now considered the largest group of ethnic minority girls in the United States. Yet research to guide their educational needs remains sparse. Addressing this concern, this investigation incorporated a strengths-based approach for examining school engagement among Hispanic middle school…

Overwhelming evidence shows that family involvement--both in school and at home--has a positive impact on student achievement. Researchers have found that parental involvement tends to drop off when students enter middle school. Research also shows that does not have to be the case. In this article, the author discusses the school-family-community…