­­If there is one adolescent trait that I value and quite frankly bet on every time, it is that adolescents are among the most resilient creatures on earth. This resilience is catalytic in their growth, and in helping...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Why do we have to read this? Does that lament sound familiar? It's a common question and one that teachers should be able to answer if they want students to be motivated to read. Catherine Snow, in Learning to Read...

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...