Support services in the schools, such as guidance counseling, have been and are necessary and integral components of an ever-changing educational agenda. Guidance remains a vital responsibility of education. This study collected a variety of job-related and professional information from counseling personnel (N=147) who provided services to early…

This study investigates the fate of claims made by middle school science students working in collaborative groups in a multicultural urban classroom and the concomitant effects on engagement and understanding. Given problems of a complex and open-ended nature in a learning community setting, students were challenged to establish group positions…

This study examined the role that stress in school and the family plays in early adolescents' adjustment during the transition from elementary to middle school. A total of 773 students (388 boys and 385 girls) from suburban communities in the northeastern United States were assessed at 3 time points: spring of Grade 5, fall of Grade 6, and spring…

This publication provides information on the Women Helping Girls with Choices initiative, a project that offers leadership workshops for middle school girls using literature. Section 1 provides a history of these 1-day workshops that have convened for the past 5 years for girls in grades 5-8 throughout New York. It describes the leadership…

A study sought to determine whether there is any relationship between a child's classroom behavior and his or her perceptions of the teacher as being "cool" or "uncool." Observations were conducted of five middle school students exhibiting chronic behavior problems. Students were surveyed as to which teachers they regarded as…

Intended for both beginning teachers and experienced teachers, this book offers a detailed plan for organizing a successful writing classroom. The book presents teachers with many new approaches for interacting with students and their writing. Following a foreword by Russ M. Burkhardt and an introduction chapters in the book are: (1) The Ten-Day…

This study investigated the hypothesis that students view reading and writing as female activities, noting student perceptions of parents as readers. Surveys of elementary and middle school students indicated they believed girls performed reading activities better, mothers were more likely to read books, and fathers were more likely to read…

Results from the normative evaluation of an anti-drug abuse program, which attempts to provide counseling services through teachers, indicate a large discrepancy between the program as planned and as delivered, especially with regard to coverage of the target group, quality of treatment, and teacher training. (SLD)

Argues that, since the presence of invitational practices in the physical arena can be measured, such strategies should be introduced into middle school athletics. Examines coaches' potential to extend inviting concepts to student participants, the legacy of traditional athletics, and the agents of influence in middle school athletics. (RJM)

Describes approaches for solving the problem of students' declining motivation and performance when they move to middle-level schools. Urges educators to examine school policies, practices, and procedures, and to make changes that will make it very clear to students that effort, challenge, improvement, and mastery are the goals of schooling. (16…

Describes the role of cross-disciplinary research in practice and policy for middle-grades education. Argues that for a research agenda to have an impact, it must be a coordinated effort among educators, content area specialists, health educators, psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and medical researchers; and coordination must be…

Evaluated the effects of a pilot program designed to improve the attendance and academic skills of African-American students at risk. Results with 15 middle school students show improved attendance, fewer suspensions, and better grades in mathematics, English, science, and history. In addition, most participants were promoted to high school. (SLD)

The rates of both teacher responsiveness and student participation were examined in the classroom question-asking context with six science teachers and 165 fifth through eighth graders. Findings suggest the need to focus on the roles of both teachers and students in creating and maintaining sex differences in student-teacher interaction. (SLD)

Two middle school teachers and two students in each of the teacher's classes were assessed for field dependence-independence (FDI). The teachers were interviewed about their students. Found that one teacher had higher expectations and one had lower expectations for the student who had the same FDI orientation as the teacher than for the student…

Goal card sort and ranking task was given to middle school teachers and a sample of sixth- through eighth-grade students to generate data relevant to revising goals of an advisory program. Study categories included advocacy, community, skills, invigoration, academic and administrative. Community and advocacy goals received highest student ranking,…