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,...

How will you make the world better? This question challenges every member of the Preston Middle School community and serves as the foundation for everything we do. Preston Middle School is a school of science,...

In every country in the world, we elevate those who endure, especially against overwhelming odds. We exalt politician William Wilberforce, who led a challenging campaign to end all slavery in the British empire. We...

The first tip is thinking ahead... One of our best tools as parents is being prepared. As your son or daughter gets to the middle school years, get ready for at least occasional conflicts. Think through what is truly...

Developing relationships with parents and community members is critical to building support for your school. But mailing home a newsletter and making an occasional call to a media outlet isn't nearly enough. Educators...

The move from middle to high school stirs up many emotions for young adolescents, ranging from excitement and anticipation to fear and anxiety. It is natural for students to have numerous concerns related to the...

Introduction What is the proper role of middle level interscholastic sports competition? This continues to be a perplexing question for administrators and other stakeholders who are responsible for the health and...

In most schools, integrated curriculum is more a hit-and-miss practice than a full-scale, all-out commitment. To accomplish the goal of ensuring that “all teachers can identify the connections among ideas and...

As I introduced a new geometry topic to my sixth grade class, one of my students immediately reacted to my mention of a new skill—classification of solid figures—by blurting out, “Again? We know...

The faculty lounge crackles with disagreements about the new grading policies suggested by the standards-based grading committee. The English department debates whether or not grammar proficiency is a requisite for...