For educators, the importance of understanding adolescents' concepts of caring is critical. This paper explores early adolescents' perceptions of barriers to caring and is part of a large ethnographic study on caring in middle schools. This study was conducted in two midwestern middle schools in a large urban area. A total of 101 students,…

This paper critically examines the rhetoric of the effective schools and school-based management (SBM) models for educational reform as they relate to an ongoing schoolwide demonstration project to enhance children's motivation and learning. The demonstration project, also called "the coalition," was adopted at one elementary and one…

This monograph examines early adolescence as a developmental period and explains the physical, psychosocial, and cognitive characteristics of 10- to 14-year-olds. The monograph also discusses how middle schools can provide developmentally appropriate educational experiences. Chapter 1 of the monograph explores early adolescence as a developmental…

The purpose of this exploratory research was to examine two middle school mathematics teachers' views of the nature of mathematics and their perceptions about the purpose of education as it translates into planning for instruction and teaching. In addition, students in one seventh grade mathematics class of each teacher were surveyed about their…

This study investigated attitudes of educators from both the middle school movement and gifted education, by means of a survey of 400 members of relevant professional organizations. The survey focused on six interest clusters: (1) grouping strategies, (2) identification issues, (3) curriculum modifications, (4) teacher preparation, (5) program…

A study was done to determine if certain social variables outside of the school environment would show a relationship with substance abuse. Non-school activities considered were organized athletics, clubs, and music and drama organizations. A survey was distributed to 7,426 secondary school and middle school students in a large Midwestern…

Middle school students can become fascinated with literature if they have a choice in selecting which trade book to read and the means of revealing comprehension. One student teacher (ST) developed a bulletin board to stimulate learner interest in reading for her sixth grade students. "Read and Digest" was the heading, with four…

Some researchers have begun to investigate students' attitudes toward science and their scientific attitudes as possible effectors of students' scientific achievement. In this study both of the aforementioned factors are examined by administering the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) to 35 sixth grade students, 21 seventh grade students,…

Teachers are evaluated daily by their students. By examining students' criteria for teacher evaluation, teachers are able to broaden their existing base of understanding and develop a greater perception of the complex dynamics of the classroom. This study was conducted to evaluate students' comments regarding "good" teachers to determine whether…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles parents play in students' learning of mathematics in the home setting and to examine the relationships between parental involvement and students' learning of mathematics. This study attempts to identify the kinds of parental roles which contribute to students' learning of mathematics. This…

A program was developed to improve students' transfer of concepts and skills among content areas and to the world outside of the classroom. The targeted population was sixth and eighth graders at a private middle school of 250 students in a stable middle-class community in a suburb of Chicago (Illinois). Study of the school site and a literature…

"Second Step" is a series of curricula for preschool through junior high/middle school students that addresses the issue of interpersonal violence among adolescents. It is designed to reduce their impulsive and aggressive behavior while increasing their levels of social competence through empathy training, interpersonal problem solving,…

Collected observations of parental behaviors of fifth graders and then obtained adjustment measures for the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. Supportive, aware parenting was associated with early adolescents' positive academic, social, and psychological adjustment in fifth grade and with further improvement in adjustment in seventh grade. (RJM)

This curriculum guide, suitable for a wide range of students from elementary to high school, offers an interdisciplinary approach to law-related education (LRE) intended to assist teachers with introducing LRE into courses for gifted and talented students and all types of learners. Each lesson identifies how many of the seven intelligences (Howard…

Folk culture is everyday culture. Since all students have a folk culture, a folklife unit is a good starting place for the study of personal, local, state, and national history, and by comparing similarities and differences, for the study of the folk traditions of others. The guide begins with an introduction to the field of folklife and the…