Challenger Middle School (Colorado) has an intramural sports program that uses two unique concepts known as "scramble" and "cluster" coaching. The goal is to provide each child the opportunity to compete, develop skills, and experience success. Intramural participants are invited by coaches to compete against other schools…

Safe, noncontroversial social studies textbooks are neither meaningful nor necessary according to many students. As an alternative, teachers can integrate well-written trade books into the social studies curriculum. Well-researched diaries, journals, biographies, and autobiographies should become an integral part of the curriculum. (28 references)…

During 1990 Northeastern Conference of American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages, a panel of experts agreed that young Americans will require an advanced proficiency in foreign languages and an appreciation for cultural diversity. Language study should be intertwined with culture, social issues, and other dimensions. The middle school is…

Describes an integrated foreign language exploratory (FLEX) course that exposes students to language and culture study while combining various aspects of middle school philosophy, such as exploration, hands-on learning, interdisciplinary teaching, individual and group projects, and cooperative learning. The program helps reconceptualize curricula…

Profiles 7 middle-school teachers from a group of 32 outstanding middle-level teachers throughout the country that were surveyed, interviewed, and shadowed. Lists 10 attributes that they all share, including investment in personal and professional development and an attitude of commitment and self-confidence. (MLF)

Canandaigua, NY, is in midst of study to convert junior high program to a middle school program. Responses from 105 families to survey materials sent to 780 student homes indicate parents care more about how children feel about themselves than about how children perform in the school setting. Parents want their children to be strong in basic…

The following factors can influence the form and quality of what is stored in memory: (1) position of new learning; (2) meaning in new learning; (3) transfer of information; (4) verbal cues; (5) image cues; (6) spacing effect; (7) rehearsal and practice; and (8) organization of new information. (MLF)

Study findings indicate that ongoing communication and collaboration among teachers play a critical role in promoting successful technology integration and that administrators need to establish ways to facilitate collaborative effort. (six references) (MLF)

Isolation, limited access to colleges and universities, and financial constraints restrict staff development opportunities for rural school systems. Recognizing these problems, the Virginia Middle School Association has adopted a regional conference structure that shifts meeting locations throughout seven major areas. The "hot topics"…

With administrative support, guidance from Georgia Southern University's middle-grades program, and much hard work, teachers at a rural Georgia elementary school (K-7) have fashioned a developmentally appropriate middle-grades program. The results are greater middle-grade/high school articulation, an exploratory curriculum, differentiated student…

The Loving Well Program teaches students about the complexities of human relationships, including friendships and family, infatuations and first romances, enduring commitments, and marriage. It treats sexuality education as part of general character development and helps students develop strong personal and social ideals. Studying believable…

The Family Math Program is an outgrowth of the Equals Program at the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley. Piloted in 1982 in Richmond, California, this widespread program boasts a simple philosophy: Families "doing math" will get the same result as families who read--improved skills and enjoyment. The program also confronts parental…

The thinking-out-loud procedure provides teachers with an excellent mechanism for collecting information about students' thought processes and affective states during problem solving. Mathematics teachers can implement this process by modeling it during whole-class problem-solving sessions, proceeding slowly and encouragingly, working with small…

Examines recent research on cultural and gender differences among early adolescents, focusing on friendship patterns, identity development, social expectations, self-esteem, learning styles, health concerns, achievement aspirations, and sex role attitudes and behaviors. Young adolescents benefit when middle-level educators provide opportunities…

Conrad F. Toepfer's experiences as a symphonic, jazz, and folk player influence his anxieties and concerns about education's moral obligations to further human development and freedom for all. Committed to learning as an active, interactive process, Toepfer has helped gather, organize, and motivate groups to design and implement middle-level…