A case study was implemented in one rural district as it transitioned to a trauma-informed environment. A theoretical framework based on the literature framed the data collection around the seven themes of awareness, positive culture, intentional instruction, restorative practice, self-care, mental health support services, and professional…

This paper examines and evaluates some aspects of the legacy of the West Riding of Yorkshire County Council and its long serving Chief Education Officer, Sir Alec Clegg, who held the post between 1945 and 1974. Against a subsequent political discourse of markets, choice and autonomy which portrays local authorities as the cause of poor educational…

"Second Step" is a universal social-emotional learning program designed to decrease antisocial behaviors, increase prosocial behaviors, and increase knowledge about content curriculum. Given the international focus of using Second Step to improve social-emotional skills, it is especially important to provide an updated synthesis on the…

Assessing individuals' social and emotional (SE) knowledge, attitudes, and skills is a complex task. It requires careful consideration of the assessment purpose, rigor, practicality, burden, and ethics. Once you have considered these factors and have determined that you are, in fact, "Ready to Assess," you are ready to act and choose an…

Using quantitative methods, the current study addresses the phenomenon of blended learning and the impact of professional development (PD) in blended learning on teacher practice. Two separate but complementary investigations, Oliver's (2013) focus group data for examining Oliver's Framework for Blended Instruction and Parks' (2015) national…

This research focuses on the results of the Flathead Watershed Delphi survey, a consensus-building methodology used to establish foundational knowledge, skills and dispositions for the Flathead Watershed Educators Guide, a place-based watershed curriculum for middle school grades based on the Flathead Watershed Sourcebook. Survey participants (n =…

We investigated the effects of My Teaching Partner-Secondary (MTP-S), a teacher professional development intervention, on students' peer relationships in middle and high school classrooms. MTP-S targets increasing teachers' positive interactions with students and sensitive instructional practices and has demonstrated improvements in students'…

Mathematics, science, and technology are three disciplines that are highly discussed in national and international circles, especially as regards their importance to the success of young people after they leave school. With that, the purpose of the study is to examine the integration of technology into mathematics and science instruction in…

This position paper identifies the purposes and underlying rationale of the middle school, outlines what the middle school program should be--curricular, instructional, and organizational-administrative, and presents some leadership implications. It is assumed that if educators understand the root causes of transescent behavior, they will deal…

In the study reported here, I explored the notion of teacher leadership as described by individuals participating in a district-wide school reform initiative, the Accelerating Student Achievement Project. Through the district-wide project, teacher leaders were identified at each of the middle and high schools to further develop the schools'…

Analysis of cognitive, psychoanalytical, and moral development theories of J. Piaget, O. Rank, E. Erikson, L. Kohlberg, D. Elkind, and C. Gilligan revealed teaching strategies for gifted adolescents which involve encouraging creativity and problem-solving skills; supporting student interests; developing students' positive self-esteem; exposing…

This article briefly describes the current status of middle schools in Ohio and attempts to establish a rationale for the development of the middle school. The author's central thesis is that curricular considerations for a middle school are basically identical to those of most junior high schools, and that in order to significantly improve the…

A problem exists in the U.S. education system regarding the efforts to refine professional development and gain a deeper understanding of content knowledge to impact teachers' abilities to meet students' needs. Many teachers have not had the professional development opportunities that support the improvement of teaching skills and knowledge. The…

Discusses the developmental characteristics of the middle school years child. (DD)

This handbook is designed to guide middle school teachers, principals, and curriculum leaders through the mathematics curriculum selection process, helping them choose and use curricula that promote high standards of student achievement. A set of questions for curriculum decision making is posed that corresponds to a framework focused on three…