At first glance, you might assume that Vista Middle School, one of 160 middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, can't possibly provide an effective learning environment for its students. Statistics...

Fractional concepts are important building blocks of elementary and middle school mathematics curriculum. Conceptually based instruction of fractions requires teachers to have a complete understanding of the subject...

Current research on the use of manipulatives in the middle grades is not as extensive as research on manipulative use in the elementary grades and with students with disabilities (Cobb, 1995; Driscoll, 1980; Sowell,...

Well, it's almost spring. Time to try to get those students to stay in their seats and listen to you. How can you do that? With several different 10- to 15-minute activities. Try these in your English/Language Arts...

Today's students must be able to learn and express themselves in myriad ways, yet reading, writing, and speaking remain the primary vehicles. Thus, language arts still...

Leadership training for youth is an investment in our present and future. Yet providing effective training can be challenging in terms of time and curriculum—especially in high-poverty communities, as we...

A school year ends and we ask ourselves, "What can we do to make next year the best year ever?" Every spring, our K–8 school staff meets to discuss what we would like to do to make our school a better place to...

An advisory program is a key element for any middle school. Advisory provides that sense of belonging that 10- to 15-year-olds crave. It also offers teachers a chance to discuss with students issues that simply don't...

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...

We stood in the empty classroom. Lisa looked up at me. "I couldn't understand what I read last night," she said. I looked at her, speechless. The class was reading a novel, and I wondered why Lisa had been failing...