The research on the potential relationship of the Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) and the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) was conducted in two phases and focused on middle schools with a grade configuration of 6-8 in the state of Illinois. The first phase of the research examined whether or…

Today's adolescent student is thriving in a world where information and communication technology (ICT) encourages literate practices. These practices, described and theorized by studies of the new literacies, are not encouraged or supported in most school settings where traditional notions of literacy still dominate. Students in grades 6-8 at a…

The present study advances understanding of (a) the development of achievement goals, (b) the changing association of achievement goals and achievement over time, and (c) the implications of changes in achievement goals for changes in achievement over time. African American and European American adolescents' (N = 588) achievement goals and…

This report described how implementation of differentiated assignments provided documentation of how students' motivation increased. The volunteers that participated in this study were 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Students struggle academically to meet the expectations of their instructors. These struggles impact how students learn academically,…

This study investigated psychosocial mechanisms that may account for sex differences in internalizing symptoms of depression and anxiety during adolescence using data from a prospective, multiwave study with a sample of early and middle adolescents (N = 350, 6th to 10th graders; 57% female). Girls showed higher initial levels of only depressive…

This article describes the views of Latino/a parents who supported social justice mathematics curriculum for their children in a 7th-grade Chicago public school classroom in which I was the teacher. The parents viewed dealing with and resisting oppression as necessary parts of their lives; they also saw mathematics as integral and important.…

During the 2004-2005 school year, Community Consolidated School District 146, in Tinley Park, Illinois, embarked on a journey to become more familiar with the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS). This journey culminated with the launch of a comprehensive WebQuest for third graders about the American Revolution. The detail that sets…

This report describes a program for improving reading comprehension in seventh graders by focusing on higher order thinking and metacognitive skills. The targeted population was in a growing, middle class community located in northern Illinois. The problem of below grade level reading comprehension was documented by Illinois Goals Assessment…

This document is a conference presentation on the use of portfolios as an evaluation tool for middle school music students. All of the pages are suitable for use with an overhead projector. Areas covered include reasons for teaching the arts as both an intellectual discipline and vocational education; Illinois state goals for musical learning for…

THE SEVENTH- AND EIGHTH-GRADE UNITS CONTAINED IN THIS GUIDE PROVIDE A SEQUENTIAL STUDY OF COMPOSITION WITH EMPHASIS UPON DICTION. THE SEVENTH-GRADE UNIT (10 LESSONS) DEALS WITH THE PROCESSES OF OBSERVATION, CLASSIFICATION, INDIVIDUALIZATION, REVISION, AND WITH AUTHOR INTENTION. THE EIGHT-LESSON UNIT FOR THE EIGHTH-GRADE IS CONCERNED WITH WRITING…

THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE FIFTH, SIXTH, AND SEVENTH GRADE PUPILS' KNOWLEDGE OF SCIENCE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN SEVENTH GRADE SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS AND TO DISCOVER PUPILS' ABILITY TO APPLY THIS KNOWLEDGE. PUPILS FROM 21 SCHOOLS LOCATED IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS WERE TESTED WITH TWO TESTS DEVELOPED BY THE INVESTIGATOR. THE SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE TEST…

A seventh-grade teacher compared three current delivery systems associated with learning style and multiple intelligences: Beatrice McCarthy's "4MAT," Kathleen Butler's "The Learner's Dimension," and Carolyn Mamchur's "Cognitive Type Theory and Learning Style." All have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Gardner's…

In 1991, the President of Illinois State University encouraged three Distinguished Professors, Drs. Dossey, Fitch, and Loepp (mathematics, science, and technology, respectfully), to establish an organization on campus called the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (CeMaST). The originators of CeMaST immediately conceived a plan to…

This report describes a program that used both critical and creative thinking skills to enhance the educational process in language arts. The targeted population consisted of fourth- and seventh-grade students in two growing, middle-class communities located in northern Illinois. The lack of higher-order thinking skills was documented through…

This report addresses the problem of apathy and the unwillingness of middle level students to meet basic standards, evidenced by a lack of student performance and participation and by an attitude of indifference. The targeted population for this study consisted of seventh and eighth grade general music students in an economically and culturally…