While incorporating digital technologies into the classroom has offered new ways of teaching and learning into educational processes, it is essential to take a look at how the digital shift impacts teachers, school administration, and curriculum development. "Academic Knowledge Construction and Multimodal Curriculum Development" presents…

This book describes how to get high on life without the use of alcohol or drugs. The underlying premise is that the desire for ecstatic moments comes naturally to people. It is the need for sensuous gratification and feelings of delight that drive people to look for different types of highs. The problem is that there are many conflicting ways to…

Studies done in the 1960s and 1970s which sought to compare middle schools with junior high schools were ineffective. Intended to fill the frequently noted research void in the middle school movement, this monograph summarizes previous research on the effectiveness of middle level schools and presents results of a 1993 study on middle schools…

Resulting from an investigation of reading programs that refuse to tolerate acquiescence to the inevitability of reading failure, this book describes what works and why in adolescent literacy, through case studies and through observations gleaned from extensive literature searches and site visits. Chapters are as follows: (1) "Adolescent…

This book is designed to help teen girls discover what a job is really like from women doing what they love. Part 1 features stories of 22 women. From who they are and how they got there to why they love what they do, the real-life stories are intended to provide girls, age 11 and up, with inside information, inspiration, and goal-tracking tips to…

This book is a collection of essays on all of the common problems, experiences, and humorous anecdotes of adolescence. It is written to alter the common negative perception of adolescence and instill a feeling of celebration of this period of tremendous change in children's lives. Following an introductory section, the second section of the book,…

This book tells the stories of four urban middle schools that have undergone deep transformation while participating in the Middle Grades Improvement Program (MGIP), an initiative that has nurtured fundamental change in school climate, structure and classroom practice in 16 urban districts and 65 schools in Indiana. The support of the Lilly…

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…

Aimed at helping the most vulnerable young adolescents, this book attempts to provide tools and techniques for practitioners working with youth at risk for academic, behavioral, and emotional difficulties resulting from such factors as difficult family situations, learning problems, or socioeconomic disadvantage. The SPARK curriculum combines a…

This monograph examines early adolescence as a developmental period and explains the physical, psychosocial, and cognitive characteristics of 10- to 14-year-olds. The monograph also discusses how middle schools can provide developmentally appropriate educational experiences. Chapter 1 of the monograph explores early adolescence as a developmental…

This book provides adolescents with strategies for building developmental assets that have been identified as crucial to success. The assets were identified using data from a survey of more than 250,000 students in grades 6-12. The 40 highlighted assets, grouped into two main types, are designated as either external or internal. The external…

Designed for those teaching an advisement program to middle school students, this book provides a year-long program with suggestions for many activities geared to middle school students. The text is divided into the traditional four-quarter school year but can be adapted to any school year configuration. The activities are designed so that the…

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. Between 1981 and 1989, 7% of all those who suicide were children and adolescents aged five to 19 and during that time 16,585 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 committed suicide. Written for counselors and middle and high school personnel, this book examines the dynamics of…

Counseling for empowerment is a complex and multifaceted process that requires, for some, a radical departure from the traditional conceptualization of the helper's role. The process of empowerment demands that professional helpers and their clients take an active, collaborative approach to identifying problems and goals. Drawing from counseling,…

This book examines the qualities of schools that successfully deal with the developmental diversity of young adolescents (10 to 14 years old). In part I, the author reviews literature on school effectiveness and develops a framework for evaluating schools that are not simply "effective," but are "successful." Seven criteria are outlined: (1)…