To overcome crowding and foster cooperative learning, a Virginia middle school teacher divides his class into two heterogeneous groups, separated by classroom furniture. These groups may be further subdivided. The two-in-one class enhances learning while motivating students to participate and develop strong friendships and leadership skills. (MLH)

When preparing middle-level students for the information Age, educators must consider staff-development needs in the areas of computer technology and portfolio design; classroom restructuring for project-based curriculum; integrated subject disciplines; and alignment of the portfolio approach to school, district, state, and parental expectations…

Examines the role of assessment in middle schools. Describes characteristics of authentic assessment and benefits of product, performance, and portfolio assessment. Discusses effective grading methods, listing advantages and disadvantages of grading. Presents guidelines for designing tests and describes four unusual testing formats: (1) Bloom…

Describes use of behavioral descriptors called Performance Results to guide instruction, combined with implementation of portfolio assessment, for middle level students in Utah's Salt Lake City School District. Discusses stumbling blocks to using the Performance Results for teachers and students, positive outcomes from the process, and future…

Suggests techniques to assist middle level students who fail because of lack of confidence. Examines reasons for student failure and discusses procedures to identify underachievers and use classroom tests to create a mindset for success. Describes procedures for providing extra help to allow underachieving students to achieve success. Discusses…

At a middle school in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, administrators and teachers used the cognitive domain of the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Learning Style Profile to design "products" that helped compensate for underachieving sixth and seventh graders' skill deficits in mathematics and science. Success…

Describes the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual characteristics of young adolescents and discusses the ways that middle education can meet their unique needs. Urges educators to consider the impact of peer pressure, manage classes and individuals fairly and consistently, and ensure that students do not feel left out. Discusses…

Change to a middle school brought some complaints from teachers, parents, and students. A principal describes the forces to maintain the status quo and shares her strategies and solutions. Lists nine factors that illustrate the difference in perspective from the traditional approach of education to one of educating students for the twenty-first…

Examines similarities in implementing theories of multiple intelligences, learning styles, and brain-based education in middle schools: (1) theories are learning and learner-centered; (2) teacher is a reflective practitioner and decisionmaker; (3) student is a reflective practitioner; (4) the whole person is educated; (5) the curriculum has…

Collaborative teaching offers one strategy for combining efforts of special and regular educators to provide a strong education for all students and avoid special-needs students' isolation from peers. Staffing and scheduling may be a problem at secondary level. Collaborative models require teachers' clear understanding of respective roles,…

Ability grouping persists because few practical, financially feasible, and politically palatable alternatives have been explored. Built to accommodate a team of 6 teachers and 135 to 150 students, 1 Virginia middle school's parallel block scheduling plan exchanges tracking for a practical method of working with heterogeneous groups of students.…

When busing limits number of afternoon activities and students do not seem interested anyway, principals must look for opportunities during day to involve students. One inner-city middle-school principal helped teachers initiate program of morning clubs and assemblies to increase student self-esteem and encourage student and parent involvement…

Examined the use of reflection surveys and students' pictures of their teachers at work to obtain information about classroom practices. Found that features in student drawings documented school changes. Drawings served as a powerful vehicle for teachers to learn from students' perspectives. Discusses problems with the method, and strategies for…

Considers key issues in implementing authentic assessment systems in middle schools, including its implications for content organization and classroom instruction, teacher and administrator involvement, and legitimizing teaching to the test. Presents concerns about authentic assessment related to outcomes and measurement, time constraints, labor…

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…