Examined the instructional reform process in 17 middle schools. Reforms included heterogeneous grouping, cooperative learning, active learning, and interdisciplinary instruction. All reforms relied on teachers' willingness to change daily instructional content or strategies. Heterogenous grouping and interdisciplinary instruction posed the…

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)…