With the specter of No Child Left Behind hanging over their heads, educators should be wary of using disaggregated data to track selected populations of students and their progress through school. Such data can be misleading by showing that students are doing well, although they may be taking classes that are not challenging. Although the myth of…

One of the tragedies of American education is that so many teachers do not understand or are unaware of educational issues and how they impact on their profession. There is a gap between teacher perceptions and reality and this book is a first step in closing that gap. Hot-Button Issues for Teachers is a timely, comprehensive book that addresses…

This report describes the efforts of eight elementary and middle schools in seven states to involve families and communities in ways that have significant impact on students' learning. Through a process called Parent-Teacher Action Research (PTAR), teams of parents and teachers, principals, and facilitators at each school closely examined their…

This report summarizes a qualitative study that examined girls in six middle schools representing a range of geographic locations and settings as well as the racial and ethnic mix found in schools across the United States. The schools were all involved in educational reform efforts. The report examines how girls negotiate middle school and gauges…

Based on the findings of three federally financed dropout prevention programs--ALAS (Achievement for Latinos through Academic Success), the Belief Academy, and Check & Connect--this report highlights school affiliation and bonding strategies to prevent students from dropping out of school and provides examples of activities to address the…

The six thematic teaching units, designed for teaching Spanish to native speakers in the American Southwest, are a result of a July 1993 conference of 30 middle school and high school teachers. Each unit was produced by a group of teachers, and is entirely or primarily in Spanish. The units contain lesson outlines, activities, tests, samples of…

This book brings together, under the term "whole learning," ideas from the language-arts-based whole language movement and work in middle schools with multidisciplinary, problem-centered, integrative approaches. The book contains 15 chapters, most written by teachers about their experiences with implementing whole learning curricula. The…

The roles of first and second languages were studied, using ethnographic methods, in a middle school two-way bilingual education program that served Mexican-background students. The primary stated program goal was to develop bilingualism and biliteracy in both minority and majority language students. Classes were taught using English and Spanish…

This report highlights selected schools and their collaborative efforts in pulling educators, families, and communities together to support a particular school's success and the well-being of its immigrant students. The report documents promising practices, but also places these efforts in broader contexts, both practical and theoretical. These…

This monograph discusses the care and maintenance of animals, suggests some alternative teaching strategies, and affirms the value of teaching biology as the study of living organisms, rather than dead specimens. The lessons in this monograph are intended as guidelines that teachers should adapt for their own particular classroom needs. Chapter 1,…

This document presents eight models of the exploratory vocational wheel for the middle/junior high school and a collection of career development activities designed for infusion in various curriculum areas. The wheel is a scheduling strategy that allows middle schools students to explore elements of several different occupations as classes rotate…

This paper presents the results of a two-year initiative to change the social arrangements and interactions of special education students and teachers assigned to a predominantly Mexican-American, low-income seventh grade campus of 520 students. The project investigated how to improve the learning environments of students at risk of being placed…

Casting students in grades 5 through 12 in the roles of reporters, lawyers, and detectives at the scene of a crime, this interdisciplinary activity involves participants in the intrigue and drama of crime investigation. Using a hands-on, step-by-step approach, students work in teams to investigate a crime and solve a mystery. Through role-playing…

In this theme issue of The "OSSC Bulletin" educators speak out about what they think their schools are doing right. The project goal was to select schools with varied socioeconomic backgrounds from different parts of the state, as well as to include at least one rural school and one innercity school. The two elementary schools, two…

This guide includes materials for a 1-year course in technology, life, and careers (TLC) that has been established as the core requirement in applied technology education for Utah junior high/middle school students. Presented first are 18 orientation activities that are designed to give students knowledge of themselves and the ability to apply…