The interdisciplinary team organization allows teachers to allocate time to accommodate the curriculum and young adolescents' instructional needs. For maximum flexibility, several scheduling options may be considered: large-group instructional time, one less period daily, heterogeneous class grouping, and "top class" team scheduling. Advantages,…

Because staff development is the most important factor in advancing the middle school philosophy, administrators should take special care to make inservice activities meaningful. In a recent informal survey, 58 middle school teachers with varying degrees of experience and expertise identified adolescent development, interdisciplinary teaming, and…