Middle school principals should seek to alleviate the frustration of teachers, make efforts to help parents understand preadolescents' development, assist students in their total development, and work at developing a supportive educational climate. (MLF)

Curriculum developers should consider middle level learners' needs for intellectual growth and individual attention and their needs to understand themselves and know others. (MLF)

It is especially important that junior high and middle school teachers recognize the importance of interrelating curriculum areas. Details how this goal was achieved at one junior high school. (Editor/RK)

Although this study's results favored heterogeneous over homogeneous ability grouping in mainstreamed, middle school classrooms, each arrangement produced desirable and less desirable outcomes. Instructional success can probably be realized by using either approach, so long as off-task and other liabilities can be effectively counteracted.…

A recent study shows that effective middle-level principals identify key teacher leaders and involve them in the decision-making process. Informal teacher leaders are key in developing programs, climate, and curriculum within a school. Without teachers' acceptance, a program is doomed. To initiate change, principals must first sell their concept…

Creating successful schools for all early adolescent learners requires educators, parents, and community members to rethink current middle-school organizational structures, programs, and practices. The great challenge is recreating schools as inclusive communities that offer equal educational opportunities. Learning should be emphasized as…

Subjects that in middle schools are considered "exploratory" should not be abandoned because of increased emphasis on the basics. Through creative scheduling, these "encore" subjects, such as music, have strengthened and enriched the Great Falls (Montana) middle school curriculum. Success in music is likely to improve students'…

Early sexual activity is seen in youngsters who exhibit school behavior problems. As one middle-school prevention program shows, adolescent parenthood can be prevented through careful, thoughtful, and developmentally appropriate strategies. The program's focus-group approach emphasized equal male-female responsibility and discussion of life goals…

Investigates relationships among students' engagement in five selected programmatic practices in 62 Missouri middle schools and student satisfaction with school. Although a curriculum based on young adolescents' developmental needs predicts students' satisfaction with school, more specific program concepts do not correlate with student…

The role of interdisciplinary teaming in the induction of new teachers was examined at two middle level schools through the perceptions of three participant groups: new teachers, mentors, and principals. Data collected through a mixed-method design indicated that participants perceived inter disciplinary teams as an integral part of the induction…

Desirable elements of middle school organization are explained here and skills essential for the middle school principal are discussed. The suggested training program includes a supervised internship based on performance objectives, use of simulation techniques, and plans for continued inservice. (Editor)

Describes a comprehensive guidance model designed to help the middle school student achieve the developmental and learning tasks of transescence and outlines a step-by-step plan for implementing the model. (Author/IRT)

The article describes the benefits of the "Person-to-Person" career education program designed to help students, through contact with the community, make informed career choices. (DS)

Reviews current practices in middle schools. Includes a listing of 24 practices used in effective middle schools extrapolated from a survey of literature on effective schools. (MD)

This article reveals how junior high and middle school principals assess their job preparation and actual job requirements. The findings may be surprising. (Editor)