Summarizes findings of several major middle schools reports, highlighting the National Middle School Association's publication "This We Believe" (1982), NASSP's "An Agenda for Excellence at the Middle Level" (1985), the California State Department of Education's "Caught in the Middle" (1987), and the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development's…

Overwhelmed by an unending stream of middle school offenders referred to his office, a new vice-principal decided to abandon his solitary shamanship and seek staff assistance. The result--a trained, 16-member student leadership group (assisted by faculty advisers) to orient other students and teachers to a vastly improved school ethic. (MLH)

For teachers at Laurel (Delaware) Central Middle School, the old, dull routine of lecturing docile children has become an exciting exercise in active teaching and learning. Although RE:Learning has pushed nurturing ahead of intellectual skill development, more students are actively engaged in learning. Teacher attitudes toward building…

An effective middle level adviser/advisee program requires that students and teachers work together outside their normal content-specific relationship. Teaching study skills allows teachers to blend their traditional role with the novel adviser role. Tips are provided concerning study skill components, including text reading, note taking, mapping,…

Cooperation between middle level and high school administrators and teachers depends on their awareness of the great diversity of intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development among middle level students. Administrators can then make changes to improve program articulation. (MLF)

"Turning Points," the report of the Carnegie Task Force on Young Adolescents, examines the condition of America's young people, ages 10-15, and how well middle-grade schools, health institutions, and community organizations serve them. In this interview, David Hornbeck discusses the report and its recommendations. Ignorance concerning this age…

A Massachusetts school faced with low teacher and student morale as a result of severe budget cuts initiated a year-long competitive program to improve school morale. The program was successful and virtually cost-free. (MD)

Parent and community concerns in the authors' recent study were organized into seven themes: anonymity, rigor and challenge, safety, sociability and civility, school responsiveness, instruction methods, and information accessibility. Middle schools should hold dialogs with the community, stop rationalizing, acknowledge weak achievement areas,…

School violence is more likely in schools located in high-crime areas, in large schools with large classes, in schools containing a large percentage of male students, and in schools with weak administrators. The "Practical Intelligence" curriculum enables middle-school youths who are not classically successful students to make a contribution and…

A recent case study examined how the organizational changes from junior high to middle school influenced the science program for a large North Carolina school system, focusing on teacher preparation, time allocation, interdisciplinary instruction, equipment allocation, and information and leadership issues. Science instruction was enhanced under…