This article focuses on the three kinds of school safety: (1) physical; (2) emotional; and (3) intellectual, and details how to determine if a school is safe. Excellence in schools demands that schools be physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe for students, while "good enough" schools are simply physically safe. Here, the…

The rapid transformation of a secondary school from a bureaucratically regimented institution to a student-centered learning environment advocating democratic practices merits review. Here, Dorfman shares his observations of what he has come to regard as the luckiest little high school, its achievements, contradictions, challenges, and promises.…

A large body of research shows that youth with disabilities, who comprise about 13% of the country's school-aged population, report comparable to higher incidence rates of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use than their peers. Furthermore, youth with disabilities who reported ATOD use or who engaged in binge drinking had significantly more…

This study aimed to identify the significant protective factors that are likely to facilitate the development of Korean adolescents' resilience. The participants were 2,677 students in Korea, among whom 442 were receiving support from social welfare agencies. The results of hierarchical regression analysis show that the school adaptation variance…

The following article examines the physical formation and ideological justification of alternative education for at-risk students. It then considers the implications for urban students, in particular Chicano and Chicana students, who already face a significant number of barriers to educational equity. The study is situated with an urban…

This study examined the current place of staff morale in the educational marketing of one high school in the northwestern United States. It also looked at ways in which staff morale could be improved to ensure a positive image of the school in the community. Research was conducted by emailing questionnaires on issues relating to staff morale to…

Trans youth are considered one of the most marginalized and oppressed populations. Many experience transphobia and violence based on their gender identity and expression. This qualitative study describes the school experiences of 24 trans youth in Philadelphia and presents their recommendations for school administrators and educators. To…

This essay analyzes the growth of associational identity and ethical community encouraged by Gay-Straight Alliances, using queer theory to analyze their ideas and practices. Following an analysis of the Equal Access Act, which has provided space and time to extracurricular public school groups, the author turns to accounts of students involved in…

In this article we analyse the interaction between a high school chemistry teacher and her students from two different classes, emphasizing how emotions, affects and feelings contributed to, or obstructed, the dynamic of interactions. The data come from an ethnographic research approach and include videotapes of the lessons, interviews and field…

This case study details the events surrounding a gay student's "coming out" in a small, rural high school. Through the eyes and experiences of the student, his teachers, classmates, and community, we hear the story of how the school and community dealt with an issue they had never before actively considered. Through qualitative interviews, the…

Middle level teachers and administrators working in small or rural schools often face unique obstacles in implementing recommended middle level practices. From sharing staff and schedules with other school sites, to inappropriate instructional techniques, to a general lack of understanding of the middle level philosophy, these obstacles can be a…

In this article, the author describes his use of an old obsolete and quaintly archaic form of entertainment in order to create a more lively academic discussion. He introduced the songs of Scottish folk/pop singer, Al Stewart, as an effective teaching tool in his class. Students listened to several Al Stewart songs: (1) "A League of Notions"--a…

In this study, a learning unit on microorganisms for ninth-grade students was developed based on the Science-Technology-Environment-Society (STES) approach. The learning unit contained 15 learning tasks, which were performed in individual and cooperative learning settings, using a variety of teaching/learning methods with an emphasis on the…

This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

This book describes and analyzes authority relationships in classrooms through explorations of theory, prior research, and contemporary qualitative studies. The emphasis is on the social construction of authority and the crucial role authority plays in K-16 teachers' pedagogy and students' academic engagement and achievement. The introductory…