Details two studies exploring how the middle school movement has affected gifted students. Notes the gap in attitudes between educators of gifted students and educators involved in the middle school-reform movement. Presents examples of fruitful collaboration that give promise for more effective future interaction. (SD)

Contends that social change has created a need for parents and teachers to develop strategies to improve communication, mutual understanding, and effective ways to nurture and educate young adolescents. Addresses the psychological contract between school and home, strategies and stances, and considerations and strategies for strengthening the…

Suggests that John Dewey's 1938 text can take teachers into the 21st century and provides valid advice on teaching decisions including philosophy of education, learning, and schooling. Describes Dewey's five tenets of a framework that can provide language arts teachers with guidance for conceiving of student-centered, whole-language schooling and…

Describes the difficulty in determining what core values should govern how middle level students are educated. Argues that doing what is best has to be grounded in something profound despite the difficulty in defining educational philosophy; concludes this is critical as educational agendas change and middle level education comes under fire. (SD)

Addresses two questions: (1) Why are there not more defensible studies proving that middle-level programs, practices, and policies work?; and (2) Does the middle school work? Argues that middle-level research is ahead of research in other levels during similar time frames and proposes a model to address the impact of middle schools. (SD)

Argues that change has become so much a part of school culture that it has become the constant. Presents four considerations for school administrators: (1) teachers work hard; (2) change requires much additional time and energy; (3) support the people implementing the change; and (4) teacher and principal autonomy and authority will foster change.…

Annotates a sampling of documents and journal articles from the ERIC database on writing instruction at the middle level. (SD)

A principal at a Lowell (Massachusetts) school collaborated with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell to develop a dropout intervention program for seventh and eighth grade students. Small classes met alternate Saturday mornings at the university. Additional field trips and two overnight weekends helped strengthen the bond between students and…

A study investigated the experiences of a purposive sample of 12 women who have taken technological career paths and who have excelled in their respective fields. The study began with one question: "What internal and/or external factors influenced, supported, and/or encouraged these women to become competent at a very high level in nontraditional,…

American children do not bring uniform characteristics to the school setting. The at-risk student actually learns, behaves, and thinks differently from the student considered ideally suited to traditional programming. The poor "fit" between the at-risk students' natural characteristics and the expectations of the traditional school setting can be…

This article addresses due process requirements in the nonrenewal and dismissal of tenured and nontenured teachers. The Georgia Fair Dismissal Law is used as a basis for discussing the grounds for teacher dismissal. Dismissal grounds discussed are 1) incompetency; 2) insubordination; 3) willful neglect of duties; 4) immorality; 5) inciting,…

Teaching may seem too complex and too involved in various dimensions of affective and cognitive aspects of learning for a good teacher evaluation program to be devised. A hierarchy of criteria is proposed, based upon analysis of observable versus unobservable characteristics, measureable and non-measureable characteristics, and attributes and…

The article discusses two provisions--least restrictive environment and the individualized education program--generated by P.L. 94-142, Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Priorities for effective mainstreaming are considered, and opposition to the least restrictive environment concept is examined. It is concluded that the key to P.L.…