This study compared two configurations of sixth-grade students and core teachers to measure the students' perceived levels of social bonding with their peers, their school, and their teachers. One configuration...

The hardest part of taming a team is to keep everyone on task and focused during team meetings. Just as in the circus, a middle school team meeting can have several things going on at the same time. Teachers are...

Team teachers must develop respectful relationships with each another if they wish their students to exhibit positive relationships with others in their group projects. One cannot model that which one doesn't...

Not long ago, I was fortunate to spend some time with a group of very dedicated middle grades educators at the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) Summer Educators Institute. As the week progressed, we...

“My goal is to eliminate the schedule and for your team to sit down together and decide how you want to use the instructional day.” When our administrator made this statement, we laughed, but we were...

One of the primary goals of education is to encourage, support, and facilitate students' academic and personal achievement. Eighth grade students at Springville-Griffith Institute Middle School in Springville, New...

State standardized test scores at Cedarbrook Middle School in the Cheltenham (Pennsylvania) School District had been stagnant for several years and the achievement gap within our school dismayed and disheartened all...

Students carry a stack of textbooks into the classroom and sit in their rows of desks. Mr. Jones pulls up his PowerPoint and leads the class through the content that will be on Friday's test. Next week will look...

Do you want to do more with your advisory period? Maybe you want to bring students and the community closer, or maybe you are looking to change a negative school climate into a positive one. You might want to try R...

Kids hate homework, parents expect homework, and teachers give homework. But is homework necessary for achievement or academic success? "Homework remains one of the biggest challenges and concerns facing teachers...