Motivation and creativity are valuable attributes in the 21st century. In response, more instructional time must be focused on motivating high school students to expand their creative abilities. Self-determination theory (SDT) and communities of practice (CoP) are theoretical foundations helpful for understanding how intrinsic motivation promotes…

Higher standards, motivation and extra help go hand-in-hand in preparing students for success in the middle grades, high school, further education and careers. This newsletter highlights best practices in more than 20 middle grades and high schools that are meeting the challenge of raising expectations for all students, motivating them and…

Despite the growing interest in 1:1 computing initiatives, relatively little empirical research has focused on the outcomes of these investments. The current special edition of the Journal of Technology and Assessment presents four empirical studies of K-12 1:1 computing programs and one review of key themes in the conversation about 1:1 computing…

This action research project examined the impact of organizational and motivational strategies to increase homework completion among high school students. Participating were high school algebra and biology students in a midwestern, suburban city. The problem of homework completion was evidenced by existing grade and homework reports and teacher…

The Promoting Achievement in School through Sport (PASS) program is a year-long high school course that uses sports to enhance academic achievement. PASS features an integrated curriculum that addresses the student physically, mentally, and behaviorally, and an interdisciplinary approach combining language arts, philosophy, social studies,…

The central question addressed by this book is, "How can middle and secondary school teachers overcome seemingly impossible circumstances in the classroom and elicit students' attention, effort, and cooperation?" The first five chapters focus on teachers' responsibility for student's classroom behavior, and ways for teachers to manage…

This handbook serves a four-fold purpose: (1) it functions as a reference guide for counselors using the Otis Spunkmeyer Student Motivational Program (SMP); (2) individuals in other corporations who are interested in sponsoring their own Student Motivational Program (SMP) may use it to train counselors; (3) it serves as a program overview for…

In a national, longitudinal database, factors were examined that enabled public school students on a path toward failure to significantly improve reading achievement by high school graduation. Being Caucasian and female, having an internal locus of control, and taking an academic curriculum independently predicted academic resilience.…

Sixteen underachieving gifted students at Oliver High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were identified for a pilot program called Project Inspire, which sought to improve student achievement and build self-esteem, especially for disadvantaged Afro-American students. Teachers were selected as mentors for the students, and the mentors were…

This action research project evaluated a program of activities to increase the engagement of high school students in their learning. The targeted population consisted of freshman, sophomore, and senior students in a middle class community in central Illinois. The lack of student engagement that posed a problem in academic progress was documented…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a plan to deal with students who lack enthusiasm about school and have difficulty in following classroom rules, keeping on task, and using appropriate social skills. The targeted population consisted of high school students in five industrial technology classes in a rural western Illinois…

An after-school fine arts program was developed at J. W. Sexton High School (Lansing, Michigan), based on the premise that participation in the fine arts, particularly by African Americans, would lead to higher grade point averages and a greater commitment to school life. A review of relevant literature revealed a number of reasons for low…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program for increasing student motivation and interest in school to improve academic growth. The targeted population consisted of 37 high school students in a rural central Illinois community. Twenty-five students were in art classes and 12 were in child care classes. Anecdotal records,…

Much can be learned from California's Puente Project Model that would help students' success in classrooms as well as in college in general, and in their daily lives. Puente, which means "bridge" in Spanish, began in 1982 at Chabot College in northern California and is now in 38 colleges and 19 high schools statewide. Originally designed…

This document comprises a teaching guide and a student guide. The teaching guide is designed to help junior and senior high school teachers in Alberta, Canada implement the study skills curriculum, "Make School Work for You," in the classroom. The guide includes suggestions for familiarizing students with the contents of the student…