Summer school programs have been a part of national, state, and local education systems' instructional programming for decades. These programs exist in varying forms and rarely have a prescribed way in which they should be implemented. There is little to no research about teacher and administrator perceptions about these summer programs. The…

This qualitative multiple case study sought to understand staff members' perceptions of the components of an effective and sustainable professional learning community. The Professional Learning Community Assessment questionnaire and interviews were the instruments utilized to attain data. The study's results allowed the researcher to identify…

Summarizes a survey of 300 middle school principals about their characteristics and their views about the important components of middle schools. (JM)

The purpose of the Phoenix Elementary School District's Competency-Based Guidance Program is to provide middle-school students with a developmental and proactive guidance program. The competencies emphasize positive coping skills in the Educational, Career, and Personal/Social Domains. The competencies represent knowledge, attitudes, and skills…

Staff development is the key to middle school effectiveness, and this article lists characteristics of an effective staff development program, examples of activities and topics, and questions for program evaluation. (DCS)

Reports findings of a study that analyzed five middle school teacher team meetings using a coding system adapted from Flanders' work on classroom interaction. Concludes that the procedure can provide administrators with a valuable tool for validating perceptions or describing aspects of school climate. (FL)

Describes National History Day, a year-long program using history to teach students research, analysis, and communication skills, in which students from grades 6-12 research topics related to an annual theme. Focuses on the 1998 contest with the theme of "Migration in History: Peoples, Cultures, Ideas." (CMK)

A teacher education program especially designed to prepare teachers for teaching at the middle school level is advocated. A description is given of the education program, curriculum design, and degree requirements for five institutions having outstanding middle school programs--Gordon College in Massachusetts, Findlay College in Ohio, Illinois…

Discusses the family night concert as a way to involve family members in music education, where they can participate in the orchestra or as part of a family act. Describes how to create the family concert. Includes a sample invitation and a program to a family night performance. (CMK)

Addresses the National History Day 2000-2001 competition topic "Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas," which encourages analysis of how frontiers develop and their impact on human life. Describes different approaches to the topic, what is expected of students, and the competition itself. (CMK)

Discusses the philosophy of Core Knowledge that was developed by E. D. Hirsch and provides a description of the Core Knowledge curriculum sequence. Examines the history and language arts Core Knowledge curricula that foster civic virtue and the relationship between Core Knowledge and character education. Describes one program focusing on character…

Provides a case for teaching children about local architecture. Describes a specific example called the Kentucky Project as a humanist approach to built environmental education that enabled middle and high school students to study their architectural heritage through a program of videos and related teaching materials. (CMK)

Studies the middle level reading programs in the midwestern states to determine which areas received the most emphasis within five separate categories: instruction, approach, comprehension, materials, and activities. Finds that typical midwestern reading programs focus primarily on developmental instruction, emphasize a traditional skills approach…

Discusses the New Zealand Geography Olympiad for 4th, 5th, and 6th form geography students, focusing on the schools round, the regional rounds, and the National Final, which produced a four member team that traveled to Toronto (Canada) to compete in the 4th National Geographic International Geography Olympiad. Discusses the International Olympiad.…