In this article, the author describes collaborative work with four teachers through the Lansing School District's participation in a multiyear project to implement and study the effects of the My Teaching Partner-Secondary 1:1 Video Coaching model. The model is a collaborative, individualized coaching program that focuses on effective…

Discover the teaching practices that make the biggest difference in student performance! The new edition of this practical, research-based book gives leaders and teachers an even closer look at instructional practices from top award-winning urban schools. With refreshed examples from high-performing teachers and detailed analyses of these…

After serving as a high school math teacher in Maryland for three years, the author moved to teaching sixth-grade math. His high school background led him to differentiate differently than his colleagues. The article discusses his observations and his conclusions and offers a plan to implement changes in the way mathematics is taught through…

Culture and community are considered key aspects of effective middle level education. Effective schools for young adolescents are inviting, inclusive, and supportive; are staffed with adults who support youths' academic and personal development; and affirm the important role that families play in educating youth. In this article, the authors…

This article describes some of the underlying conceptualizations that have gone into the work of the BEAR Center in the development of learning progressions. The core of all of these developments has been the construct map, which is the first building block in the BEAR Assessment System (BAS). After introducing the concept of a learning…

This module is the result of the author Michael Chirichello's visit to Luxembourg in 2008. He includes the contact information here for the Atert-Lycee Redange principal or director: Claude Boever, Directeur, email: directeur@alr.lu This publication aligns with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISSLC) Standard 1: "An…

Describes briefly the School Development Program, a long-lasting school improvement movement. Discusses in particular a research project at Neal Middle School in Durham, North Carolina, that will demonstrate what and how much students learn between elementary school and high school. (SR)

Over the years there have been different terms for the idea of educating for character. Some of these are moral education, moral reasoning, values clarification, and ethics. But the basic idea of using schools to produce people of good character has been around for many generations. This volume explores the importance of including character…

Educators and policymakers are beginning to realize that students aged 10 through 14 are not well served by the "miniature high school" atmosphere of the typical junior high school, where the primary emphasis is placed on academic achievement in departmentalized course offerings. A program that is student-centered and that better…

Describes dilemma discussion approach used in 10-session program, based largely on cognitive-developmental theory, that is aimed at helping middle school students progress in their reasoning about using drugs. Ways in which the program provides students with opportunities to examine their current reasoning on drug use, consider peer perspectives,…

Middle schools are responsible for preparing young adolescents for high school and helping them develop clear self-concepts and solid values. The nationally recognized Effective Parenting Information for Children (EPIC) program provides workshops for school staff and parents focusing on self-esteem issues and decision-making and problem-solving…

Presents the use of puppetry as a school guidance technique which meets the needs of both education and developmental guidance in that it provides the student with educational experiences, while it promotes the understanding of self, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors. (ABB)

Presents a middle school teacher's observations concerning young adolescents (e.g., inconsistency is consistent, identification with others affords continuity, and they see others seeing them and seek ways to expend energy). Offers guidelines for promoting adolescents' moral growth (e.g., provide parent education and promote thoughtful critique of…

Explains that orchestra teachers who teach middle school students should focus on their students' social and psychological needs by creating chamber music groups. Describes the benefits of middle school students playing in groups, how to create chamber music groups, and opportunities for performance. Provides a list of chamber music literature.…

Summarizes research on the effects of the transition from elementary school to middle school on young adolescents. Notes problems of this transition in academic performance and in students' perceptions of school and self-perceptions, and of the mismatch of developmental needs with school environment. (JPB)