The Walking Advisement program at Crittenden Middle School in Armonk, New York was started during the 1984-1985 school year. It was based on the work of Alfred Arth, a middle school specialist at the University of Wyoming. Essentially, the program attempts to expand the guidance function of the school by bringing faculty and students together to…

Notes that, although literature on middle school teaching focuses on developmental stresses of young adolescents, it rarely offers specific ways to respond to student behaviors associated with these changes. Delineates the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional motivations behind typical early adolescent behaviors and then offers middle school…

Provides direction for developing appropriate, meaningful social studies instruction for the middle school. Identifies characteristics of early adolescents that have a direct relationship to curriculum design and the selection of appropriate social studies instruction strategies. Offers National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)…

Interviews 46 British children, ages 8 to 11, to test their understanding of showing off. Confirms prediction that younger childrens' understanding of motivation for showing off is based on psychological determinants and that 11-year-olds' understanding focuses on interpersonal determinants. Also discusses children's understanding of emotional…

This booklet reviews research on the middle school environment, the characteristics of the middle school student, and the factors involved in teaching effectively at the middle school level, and then proposes a method that middle school teachers can use for analyzing their own classroom behavior and their instructional options. The booklet's first…

By understanding the development of the human mind, parents and teachers can learn how to help guide children and adolescents into adulthood. The article examines mental growth at various ages, stumbling blocks to learning, ways of understanding the adolescent mind, and what to look for in a middle school. (SM)

This handbook contains a variety of activities to help teachers of middle school students implement an Advisory Program. It notes that teachers in other middle schools have reported that students, through advisory experiences, have become more interested in school, better at communicating, better behaved, more cooperative, and more productive in…

Studies literature produced from 1920 to 1940 appropriate for children between 9 and 12 years of age. Critiques the values that are transmitted during this period. Maintains that, although children's literature should be integrated into the social studies curriculum, this should be done in a critical way. Includes a bibliography of books reviewed.…

Noting factors that have contributed to an increased emphasis on developmentally responsive middle level schools, this revised monograph examines early adolescence as a developmental period and explores the physical, psychosocial, and cognitive characteristics of 10- to 15-year-olds. In addition, the monograph provides recommendations concerning…

Reports on a study of the relationship between moral and political consciousness as evidenced by the ideas and words of 20 middle-school children of average scholastic ability. Finds that the socioeconomic conditions of a community influenced the children's perceptions of issues and problems. (CFR)

This publication describes 40 fiction and nonfiction titles for grades 5 through 12 that will get the attention of even the most reluctant readers. Books range from humor and romance to adventure, mystery, and the supernatural. The titles were chosen based on the following criteria: recent publication date; relatively short length; appealing…

The cases in this book, based on classroom observations and interviews with principals and key teachers at 17 California middle schools, focus in depth on middle-grade reform in the classroom. Organized in four chapters, the cases look at four critical areas of curriculum and instruction: (1) heterogeneous grouping; (2) cooperative learning; (3)…

This document presents the McREL Middle School Advisement Program, a program designed to provide middle school students with an environment in which they can adjust to new school responsibilities and grow and develop in positive ways. The program is organized into nine modules. Within modules are activities which consist of a Teacher Guide and,…

This paper suggests that emerging adolescents in middle schools will do better in social studies if activities are encouraged that develop and maintain student interest. Goal centered, interesting learning opportunities are a must in the social studies curriculum. Middle school students need ample opportunities to engage in problem solving.…

Noting that many middle schools do not pay sufficient attention to the emotional, physical, and social development of their students, this booklet presents characteristics of successful middle school programs, as recognized by scholars in the middle school movement. Each characteristic is accompanied by an explanation of the "what and…