A study of three middle school principals about their instructional leadership activities before and after the establishment of shared decision making revealed an enhancement of leadership. The nature of the middle school teacher's role demands participative leadership and communication and decision making revolved around instructional issues.…

"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…

Survey forms about teacher and administrator certification were mailed to each state to chronicle the history of special certification requirements to teach or administer at the middle level. Thirty-three states are currently offering specific middle-level teacher certification. Ten states report middle-level principal certification, with most of…

Principals can help at-risk students in the middle school by identifying them early; scheduling them with counselors and teachers who can meet their needs; keeping in close contact with teachers about student grades; and offering opportunities for academic success. Finally, the entire staff must support the philosophy that failure is not an…

Describes one principal's caring and empowering practices in interacting with students through specific interviews and observations. Her approach is analyzed in terms of the components of empowerment through caring rather than control. The data of this study are also related to existing literature on caring. (MMU)

The National Association of Secondary School Principals periodically studies practices and characteristics of secondary schools to help inform educators and shape policy. Such studies of middle-level education were conducted in 1966 and 1981. As middle-level education moved into the 1990s, many new questions about education and leadership needed…

This paper presents findings of a study that identified Mississippi middle school principals' perceptions of middle school functions and characteristics. Three broad functions of middle schools include: (1) to provide a program especially adapted to diverse student needs; (2) to promote continuity of education; and (3) to introduce needed…

Describes a principal's efforts to help staff restructure an Arizona junior high school's entire curriculum while struggling to achieve a successful transition to middle school status. The most traumatic change for staff involved a radical scheduling change from one-hour classes to two-hour time blocks with alternating subjects from quarter to…

Given that grouping students homogeneously has proved to be more deleterious than beneficial to student learning and self-concept, principals of middle level schools have the responsibility to implement more heterogeneous grouping arrangements in their schools. Grouping programs that provide multiple criteria for determining student ability and…

To determine if a significant relationship exists between the conceptual systems of principals and academic achievement, nine hypotheses were formulated stating that there is no statistically significant relationship between student achievement and the complexity of school environment, emphasis on academic achievement, professional training…

Describes implementation of interdisciplinary middle school environmental science curriculum units and factors associated with successful implementation. Notes that strong principal support; structural components such as the teachers having students in common and a common planning time; a strong, intact team; and time for concentrated curriculum…

A brief history of East Ridge Middle School in Connecticut illustrates the strong economic and demographic pressures that can work against a middle school. The principal plays a crucial role in preserving both the structure and the programs of an effective middle school. Points out strategies to protect and develop middle schools in tough economic…

Presents strategies for middle level principals to strengthen their instructional program. Includes suggestions for creating a climate receptive to change by raising staff awareness of their own learning style diversity; modeling values through using instructional tools such as Bloom's Taxonomy in interaction with staff; and using stories,…

This study examined the ways in which current practices described in the middle school literature on meeting the needs of diverse learners are reflected in the policies, beliefs, and instructional practices of administrators and teachers. A survey of 125 principals asked about school characteristics, school organization, principal beliefs,…

One middle school principal stemmed the flight of white and middle-class black citizens from a Chattanooga school district and reopened a magnet middle school. Using staff development, she encouraged her teachers to learn how to work effectively to motivate students. (SM)