When the Berlin Wall (East Germany) came down, it symbolically foretold the end of the Soviet Union domination of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This resource guide examines the process toward democratization occurring in those regions. The guide updates the available classroom material on the democratic process. It is divided into three…

As the incomes of affluent and poor families have diverged over the past three decades, so too has the educational performance of their children. But how exactly do the forces of rising inequality affect the educational attainment and life chances of low-income children? In "Whither Opportunity?" a distinguished team of economists,…

This third chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" contains four articles on peer pressure and drug abuse in early adolescence. "Initiation of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the Midel School Years," by Robert Hubbard, Rebecca Brownlee, and Ron Anderson, presents a study designed to provide a prospective assessment of the nature and…

This fourth chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" presents four articles on stress and suicide in early adolescence. "Stress and the Middle Grader," by David Elkind, looks at technology and stress, describes three basic stress situations, and identifies stresses common to the middle grader. Stress symptoms in middle graders…

Reading comprehension is of great concern to many Americans, as evidenced by the mandate in most states today for graduation standards in reading and for assessments aligned to those standards. This book focuses on what has been learned from research about fostering reading comprehension in the middle grades, providing a broad overview of current…

The second volume of the English-language The China Educational Development Yearbook offers international scholars a glimpse into key issues in Chinese education today from the perspective of Chinese academics, practitioners, and applied researchers. An edited translation of the 2009 volume of the Chinese-language "Blue Book of…

Now in its third edition, the "Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts"--sponsored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English--offers an integrated perspective on the teaching of the English language arts and a comprehensive overview of research in the field. Prominent…

This eighth chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" contains five articles on the organization of a middle school counseling program. "The Counselor and Modern Middle-Level Schools: New Roles in New Schools," by Paul George, examines characteristics of successful schools and considers some new roles for the counselor. "Teacher…

This book describes the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) program which develops and implements interdisciplinary programs for teacher education to develop enthusiastic teachers who continue to be an active learners. Contents include: (1) Foreword (Katherine Denniston); (2) Impact of MCTP on the State of Maryland (Jack Taylor);…

Using reading and writing to learn, inquire, construct, and examine ideas across the curriculum is central to an integrated curriculum. Too many middle school students do not view writing as a communication process that permeates the curriculum, nor reading as an active, constructivist process whereby various perspectives can be examined and…

This book is a collection of 30 "Schools in the Middle" newsletters that were published from 1981-90. These articles, which focus on the melding of theory and practice, reflect exemplary middle-level practices, issues, and concerns about early adolescents during the past decade. Among the articles contained in Part 1, titled "Successful Middle…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious study undertaken by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Forty-five countries collected data in more than 30 languages. Five grade levels were tested in the two subject areas, so that more than half a million…

This collection of interviews with authors of children's literature is organized so that young people can use it with or without directions from the teacher. The collection can be used in two ways: to give a reader background and insight into the writing approaches taken by an author whose book is being read, or to make known new or unfamiliar…

This publication focuses on 14 colleges and universities that are successfully meeting the challenge of preparing middle level teachers. After the Foreword (John H. Swaim), the 16 chapters are: (1) "Middle Level Teacher Preparation in Perspective"; (2) "Elizabeth City State University" (Eloise B. Roberts); (3) "Georgia Southwestern College" (Lynn…

This collection of four short articles describes initiatives of the American Bar Association that bring the skills of mediation to the classroom. Suzanne Miller discusses a program that trains students to become mediators equipped to resolve disputes in their school peacefully. The program turns problem students into positive role models, teaches…