Suspended "between childhood and the adult world, pre-teens have been called the toughest to teach." Indeed, one can't touch middle school without hearing about "raging hormones." By all accounts, middle schools are a weak link in the chain of public education. Is it the churn of ill-conceived attempts at reform that's causing all the problems? Is…

Middle school students are walking dichotomies. They can talk about world peace and then hit the kid next to them. They can recycle to ease global warming only to leave the cafeteria a mess. Why? Well, scientifically, it is because their brains do not work. When people look at middle school students, they can plainly see evidence of physical…

With a growing number of school hours devoted to increased instructional time and physical education programs being scaled back in many schools, the afterschool hours are becoming increasingly crucial to ensuring the healthy development of the nation's youth. Additionally, with students spending the majority of their waking hours and consuming the…

Explains how many schools are abandoning the middle school model and returning to kindergarten through eighth grade schools. Notes that one of the professional organizations committed to middle schools believes academic rigor is only feasible in middle schools. Concludes that in the future, the presence and popularity of middle schools will depend…

Describes a school-based primary drug prevention program for 11- to 13-year-old youths. Suggestions for designing developmental skills-oriented programs in rural communities are offered. (Author)

Outlines the mission of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's Committee on Junior High/Middle School Theatre Programs. Describes the committee's seminars and workshop activities, and mentions ideas under consideration for future projects. Invites readers to join the network of Junior High/Middle School teachers, and calls for articles…

Relates how a professor, for a Theater in Education project in British Columbia, produced and directed "No More Secrets," focusing on preventing child sexual abuse. States that grades five through eight were targeted to transfer learning about sexual abuse, and to tap the emotional experiences of the child to encourage disclosure. (PA)

The Walking Advisement program at Crittenden Middle School in Armonk, New York was started during the 1984-1985 school year. It was based on the work of Alfred Arth, a middle school specialist at the University of Wyoming. Essentially, the program attempts to expand the guidance function of the school by bringing faculty and students together to…

Discusses middle schools' phenomenal growth over the past 20 years. Compared with junior high schools, middle schools provide better transition between elementary and high school, offer broader and more flexible programs, and focus on early adolescent needs. Problems of identity and inadequate teacher education are also discussed. Includes 32…

This guide was produced by the Leadership To Keep Children Alcohol Free, a coalition of governors' spouses, federal agencies, and public and private organizations which aims to alert the nation of and mobilize action to prevent this critical public health problem. It is the only national effort that focuses on this age group. The guide is an…

In an effective middle school, dedicated and knowledgeable staff work cooperatively toward a curriculum based on the needs of a particular group of transescents. Ten essential elements of the middle school curriculum are discussed. (PP)

Describes school-based psychoeducational program on severe mental illness, intended to serve as framework for providing didactic and experiential activities to increase middle school students' understanding about mental illness and their willingness to seek personal assistance when facing this crisis. Describes each of the program's four sessions.…

With eighth-grader in White House, America is in for four years of voyeuristically observed adolescence. As Chelsea Clinton and millions of other 12 year olds know, junior high is where real psychological action is. Middle school is cruel, self-conscious culture, replete with rumors, complicated dress codes, and popularity-driven status hierarchy.…

To teach tweens effectively, teachers need to be willing to do whatever it takes to advance student learning at every turn, including providing individualized instruction for students when the regular instruction doesn't meet their needs. The author, an experienced middle school educator, describes how teachers can promote tweens' learning by…

The Massachusetts Middle Grade Regional Alliance Network, a program that provides collaborative professional-development opportunities to middle-grade educators, is summarized in this document. The goal of the regional alliance is to increase the collaboration between all institutions working with early adolescents in order to improve school…