This essay explores how viewing a single Theatre for Young Audiences production might affect the attitudes, values, and/or beliefs of adolescent spectators. Data is drawn from a mixed-methods case study performed with middle school students who viewed a professional performance for young people, and is considered through the lens of cognitive…

The idea of believing in oneself is a construct that goes by several names: (1) self-efficacy; (2) self-concept; and (3) self-esteem. How well a person thinks he or she will do in the completion of a task plays a significant role in how well that person will actually do. Positive self-beliefs have been linked to many benefits, including increased…

Some teachers feel that spending any class time on topics other than the subject at hand is a waste--but in this article, the author argues that it is important for teachers to share of themselves and make personal connections with their students, particularly in middle school. Teachers who share personal vignettes and make use of "teachable…

Describes experiences conducting a shadow study of one middle school student as part of a teacher certification assignment. Notes the adolescent's classroom experiences and attitudes and how the experience affected the researcher as a parent and a teacher. (JPB)

They are adolescents--and those who work with them must understand them, connect with them, and make learning relevant to their lives. This article looks at recent theories and educational practices identified as appropriate for supporting the educational learning experiences of students ages 12 to 15. In this article, the author also discusses,…

Drawing on data collected during the second year of a longitudinal qualitative study that followed over 10 Latino/a bilingual students, this article foregrounds the experiences of participants during their sixth-grade year. The principle data sources included structured and unstructured interviews with teachers and students, school observations,…

Describes the authors' experiences as two middle school teachers (one in a small rural county, one in a large metropolitan school). Finds that using many young adult novels in the classroom unlocks the door of resistance to reading education and resistance to learning. Shares their experiences and strategies, describing classroom activities,…

Examines the nature of adolescents' sports involvement as reflected in reasons for participation and withdrawal. Claims that the degree of fun, the motivation to attain competence, and the capacity to distinguish ability from effort are important. Concludes that if the goal of sports is to foster a healthy lifestyle, the issue of maximizing…

Pupils need to experience a quality literature program which stresses diverse cultures. A major goal of a quality multi-cultural literature program is to develop within pupils feelings of empathy, acceptance, understanding, and the wish to interact with persons whose value systems, beliefs, and thought might well differ from others in society. In…

Describes a project in liberatory social studies for eighth-grade students in which a generative curriculum was implemented to help students understand the vital role they could play in producing and utilizing knowledge. The paper explores students' reactions to plans for this project, teachers' responses to student reactions, and what was learned…

Bullying, drug use, sex--curious about whether or not these news-making trends describe a teacher's middle school students? And if so, how do they affect the classroom? This article presents an interview with Linda Perlstein, a reporter who spent a year attending classes at Wilde Lake Middle School in Maryland to find out what really is going on…

Discusses what middle-grade students need, and what language arts can provide. Describes language arts activities that connect with real-world issues and audiences, with big ideas and big events, with home and family, and with students' interests and talents. (SR)

Discusses goals that will best support middle school students' development in reading and learning from text, including actively constructing meaning, learning about themselves and others, reading strategically, and enjoying reading. (SR)

Discusses issues in mainstreaming visually impaired students to a middle school. Considers the decision to mainstream a special needs student, the use of paraprofessionals, modifications to classroom and curriculum, technology equipment, socialization, and student attitudes toward the new student. (JPB)

Argues for the fundamental importance of fostering a lifetime reading habit in middle school students. Discusses various ways to provide opportunities to read in middle school; describes teacher demonstrations of effective reading/thinking behaviors; discusses reading aloud; and notes the importance of literacy educators advocating this kind of…