Sample records for accelerated middle schools

  1. Accelerated Middle Schools. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2008

    2008-01-01

    Accelerated middle schools are self-contained academic programs designed to help middle school students who are behind grade level catch up with their age peers. If these students begin high school with other students their age, the hope is that they will be more likely to stay in school and graduate. The programs serve students who are one to two…

  2. Kuss Middle School: Expanding Time to Accelerate School Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massachusetts 2020, 2012

    2012-01-01

    In 2004, Kuss Middle School became the first school declared "Chronically Underperforming" by the state of Massachusetts. But by 2010, Kuss had transformed itself into a model for schools around the country seeking a comprehensive turnaround strategy. Kuss is using increased learning time as the primary catalyst to accelerate learning,…

  3. Taking Stock and Creating a Vision: A Middle School Community Takes the First Steps toward Creating an Accelerated School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McBride, Ron E.; Stuessy, Carol

    1996-01-01

    Accelerated schools strive to bring at-risk students into the educational mainstream and perform at grade level through acceleration rather than remediation. Describes four steps to initiate the accelerated process and how a Texas middle school involved all members of the school community in implementing the first two steps, taking stock and…

  4. Middle School Math Acceleration and Equitable Access to Eighth-Grade Algebra: Evidence from the Wake County Public School System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dougherty, Shaun M.; Goodman, Joshua S.; Hill, Darryl V.; Litke, Erica G.; Page, Lindsay C.

    2015-01-01

    Taking algebra by eighth grade is considered an important milestone on the pathway to college readiness. We highlight a collaboration to investigate one district's effort to increase middle school algebra course-taking. In 2010, the Wake County Public Schools began assigning middle school students to accelerated math and eighth-grade algebra based…

  5. Recruiting and Retaining African American Students for Gifted Education and Accelerated Programs in Middle School: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberson, Ivory S.

    2017-01-01

    Recruiting and retaining African American students in middle school gifted education continues to be challenging in American schools. African American students continue to be underrepresented in middle school gifted education and accelerated programs, even when they qualify to be gifted education participants. The case study that follows focuses…

  6. Indicators of Middle School Implementation: How Do Kentucky's Schools to Watch Measure Up?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Christopher M.; Faulkner, Shawn A.; Kinne, Lenore J.

    2009-01-01

    High-performing middle schools are a critical link in the educational continuum. In an effort to stimulate the sluggish reform efforts of middle schools, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform established the Schools to Watch recognition program. Using responses of school personnel to a statewide survey, this study examined the…

  7. North Carolina Partnership for Accelerated Schools Review of the 1996-97 School Year. Profiles in School Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

    The North Carolina Partnership for Accelerated Schools was created to contribute to North Carolina's efforts to reform its educational system. Nine schools (seven elementary schools and two middle schools) that are in this partnership are profiled. The schools profiled were at various stages of implementing the Accelerated School process and had…

  8. Effects of Mathematics Acceleration on Middle School Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boysworth, Sylvia Elaine

    2010-01-01

    The researcher's purpose in the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an Accelerated Mathematics Program (AMPS) for sixth and seventh grades, using the accelerative practice of curriculum telescoping in a rural school district in North Carolina. The mathematics achievement of students served in the locally developed Accelerated Mathematics…

  9. Accelerating the development of formal thinking in middle and high school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adey, Philip; Shayer, Michael

    In an attempt to accelerate the development of formal operations in average young adolescents, intervention lessons relating to all formal schemata were designed in the context of school science courses. Over a period of two years, up to 30 intervention lessons were given by science teachers to their classes in eight schools. Boys who started the program aged 12+ showed a pre-posttest effect size on Piagetian tests of 0.89 SD compared with control classes. In terms of British norms for the development of operational thinking this was a mean change from the 51st to the 74th percentile. Neither the middle school students nor the 12+ girls showed greater gain than the controls. Gains were shown by girls in one 11+ class and in the two 11+ laboratory classes. In the laboratory school students given intervention lessons by the researchers maintained their gains over controls in formal operations at a delayed posttest one year after cessation of the program. There was no effect on tests of science achievement during the intervention. It was argued that the interventions needed to be accompanied by in-service training designed to enable teachers to change their teaching style in line with their students' increased operational thinking capacity.

  10. Extending Student Learning Opportunities in a 6-8 Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waggoner, Christine; Cline, Lisa

    2006-01-01

    In 2004, South Charlotte Middle School (SCMS), Charlotte, North Carolina, was named "A School to Watch" by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. One of the program components cited as highly successful by the visiting committee representing the Forum was the provision of an enrichment period called the ninth block. Ninth…

  11. A Mixed Method Study of the Effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader Program on Middle School Students' Reading Achievement and Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, SuHua

    2012-01-01

    The mixed-method explanatory research design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program on middle school students' reading achievement and motivation. A total of 211 sixth to eighth-grade students provided quantitative data by completing an AR Survey. Thirty of the 211 students were randomly selected to…

  12. The Effects of Math Acceleration in Middle School at the High School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dossenbach, Chris Payton

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed-methods capstone is to investigate the effectiveness of the math acceleration initiative that began in the studied school district in 2009 and the impact the initiative has had on mathematics enrollment at the high school level. This research project followed cohorts of students during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school…

  13. An "Elective Replacement" Approach to Providing Extra Help in Math: The Talent Development Middle Schools' Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration (CATAMA) Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mac Iver, Douglas J.; Balfanz, Robert; Plank, Stephan B.

    1999-01-01

    Two studies evaluated the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration course (CATAMA) in Talent Development Middle Schools. The first study compared growth in math achievement for 96 seventh-graders (48 of whom participated in CATAMA and 48 of whom did not); the second study gathered data from interviews with, and observations of, CATAMA…

  14. The Accelerated Schools Movement: Expansion and Support through Accelerated Schools Centers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brunner, Ilse; And Others

    From 1987 to 1995, the Accelerated Schools Project moved from a two-school pilot project to a national movement of over 700 schools in 35 states. This paper examines how the Accelerated Schools Centers have helped the expansion of the accelerated schools movement by recruiting and supporting schools in their regions, and how their institutional…

  15. Middle School Advisement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ball, Tricia

    Designed for those teaching an advisement program to middle school students, this book provides a year-long program with suggestions for many activities geared to middle school students. The text is divided into the traditional four-quarter school year but can be adapted to any school year configuration. The activities are designed so that the…

  16. Middle School Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finks, Harry

    The middle school provides a planned transition from childhood to young adulthood: it moves a student from the protective nurture of elementary school to the more depersonalized high school setting gradually, sensitively, and by design. Composed of the ideas from middle school education that each of the educators who choose this wonderful level of…

  17. Rescuing Middle School Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayo, L. A.; Janney, D.

    2010-12-01

    There is a crisis in education at the middle school level (Spellings, 2006). Recent studies point to large disparities in middle school performance in schools with high minority populations. The largest disparities exist in areas of math and science. Astronomy has a universal appeal for K-12 students but is rarely taught at the middle school level. When it is taught at all it is usually taught in isolation with few references in other classes such as other sciences (e.g. physics, biology, and chemistry), math, history, geography, music, art, or English. The problem is greatest in our most challenged school districts. With scores in reading and math below national averages in these schools and with most state achievement tests ignoring subjects like astronomy, there is little room in the school day to teach about the world outside our atmosphere. Add to this the exceedingly minimal training and education in astronomy that most middle school teachers have and it is a rare school that includes any astronomy teaching at all. In this presentation, we show how to develop and offer an astronomy education training program for middle school teachers encompassing a wide range of educational disciplines that are frequently taught at the middle school level. The prototype for this program was developed and launched in two of the most challenged and diverse school systems in the country; D.C. Public Schools, and Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools.

  18. The Talent Development Middle School. An Elective Replacement Approach to Providing Extra Help in Math--The CATAMA Program (Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration). Report No. 21.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mac Iver, Douglas J.; Balfanz, Robert; Plank, Stephen B.

    In Talent Development Middle Schools, students needing extra help in mathematics participate in the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration (CATAMA) course. CATAMA is an innovative combination of computer-assisted instruction and structured cooperative learning that students receive in addition to their regular math course for about…

  19. USPAS | U.S. Particle Accelerator School

    Science.gov Websites

    U.S. Particle Accelerator School U.S. Particle Accelerator School U.S. Particle Accelerator School U.S. Particle Accelerator School Education in Beam Physics and Accelerator Technology Home About About University Credits Joint International Accelerator School University-Style Programs Symposium-Style Programs

  20. Are Middle Schools More Effective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bedard, Kelly; Do, Chan

    2005-01-01

    While nearly half of all school districts have adopted middle schools, there is little quantitative evidence of the efficacy of this educational structure. We estimate the impact of moving from a junior high school system, where students stay in elementary school longer, to a middle school system for on-time high school completion. This is a…

  1. Middle School Teachers and School Leadership Perceptions of School Culture: An Examination of the Transition from Junior Highs to Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chaney, Maura Chase

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to examine the transition from junior high school to a middle school as experienced in two middle schools from a mid-sized urban school district located in the Rocky Mountains. The overarching question that guided data collection for this study centered on the factors that influenced school culture before,…

  2. Listening to Their Voices: Middle Schoolers' Perspectives of Life in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steinberg, Mary Anne; McCray, Erica D.

    2012-01-01

    This article examines middle schoolers' perspectives on their lives in middle school. Fifteen middle school students from three middle schools in the Southeast region of the United States participated in a basic qualitative study using focus groups at their schools where they were asked the central question, "If you could change one thing at…

  3. Woodbridge Middle School: Getting Better Together

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This article features Woodbridge Middle School, a middle school in Woodbridge, Virginia, which has always celebrated a tradition of excellence. Today's Woodbridge Middle School in no way resembles the school that existed in 2005. Then, the students were mostly White and few qualified for the free and reduced-price meals program; today, there is no…

  4. Evaluation of the Accelerated Reader Program in Chesapeake, VA, Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chase, Elaine; Goodin, Penny; Nichols, W. Randolph

    2010-01-01

    The Accelerated Reader program from Renaissance Learning Inc. is a popular program implemented in elementary and middle schools across the country that encourages students to read and monitors their progress in the program. Despite its widespread use and popularity, there have been some questions about the program's effectiveness at increasing…

  5. Middle School Teachers' Theories of Puberty.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeTendre, Gerald

    This study explored middle school teachers' perspectives on and expectations of adolescence and puberty, using observations and interviews of 15 teachers in two Japanese middle schools and two United States (U.S.) middle schools, as well as a survey of teachers in selected schools in both nations. Teachers in the U.S. described puberty as being…

  6. Middle School Students' Beliefs about Matter

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nakhleh, Mary B.; Samarapungavan, Ala; Saglam, Yilmaz

    2005-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine middle school students' developing understanding of the nature of matter and to compare middle school students' ideas to those of elementary schools students, as was done by Nakhleh and Samarapungavan ["J Res Sci Teach" 36(7):777-805, 1999]. Nine middle school students were interviewed using a scripted,…

  7. Female Middle School Principals' Voices: Implications for School Leadership Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Cathy; Ovando, Martha; High, Cynthia

    2009-01-01

    This study was an attempt to add the voices of women to the discourse of school leadership. It focused on the nature of the middle school leadership experiences of three female middle school principals, their social interactions based on gender role expectations and their own leadership perspectives. Findings suggest that middle school leadership…

  8. Middle school students' beliefs about matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakhleh, Mary B.; Samarapungavan, Ala; Saglam, Yilmaz

    2005-05-01

    The objective of this study was to examine middle school students' developing understanding of the nature of matter and to compare middle school students' ideas to those of elementary schools students, as was done by Nakhleh and Samarapungavan [J Res Sci Teach 36(7):777-805, 1999]. Nine middle school students were interviewed using a scripted, semistructured interview. The interview probed students' understanding of the composition and particulate (atomic/molecular) structure of a variety of material substances; the relationship between particulate structure and macroscopic properties such as fluidity and malleability; as well as understanding of processes such as phase transition and dissolving. The results indicate that most of the middle school students interviewed knew that matter was composed of atoms and molecules and some of them were able to use this knowledge to explain some processes such as phase transitions of water. In contrast, almost no elementary students knew that matter was composed of atoms and molecules. However, the middle school students were unable to consistently explain material properties or processes based on their knowledge of material composition. In contrast to elementary school students, who had scientifically inaccurate but relatively consistent (macrocontinuous or macroparticulate) knowledge frameworks, the middle school students could not be classified as having consistent knowledge frameworks because their ideas were very fragmented. The fragmentation of middle school students' ideas about matter probably reflects the difficulty of assimilating the microscopic level scientific knowledge acquired through formal instruction into students' initial macroscopic knowledge frameworks.

  9. Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School: Banishing Anonymity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2010

    2010-01-01

    It is no accident that the staff at Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School adopted a central tenet of "Breaking Ranks in the Middle"--to banish anonymity by creating a personalized learning environment for all of its students. The school was created six years ago when the four middle schools in Henry County, VA, were consolidated into two…

  10. Recruiting Middle School Students into Nursing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matutina, Robin E.

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this literature review is to illustrate the importance of initiating nursing recruitment during the middle school years. Data sources included citations from the years 1989 to 2006. The study focused on middle school students 9 to 13 years of age in Grades 6 to 8. One survey compared middle school students' perceptions of an ideal…

  11. Renewing the Middle School: The Early Success of Middle School Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Paul S.

    2009-01-01

    Renewing the Middle School is a special three-part series in which the author, an eminent scholar in the field of middle grades education, offers his view on the status of middle grades education and its prospects for the future. In this part of the series, he responds strongly to some of the criticism that has been aimed at American public…

  12. Middle School Program and Participatory Planning Drive School Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Kevin

    1996-01-01

    Uses the example of award-winning Black Hawk Middle School in Minnesota to examine: (1) developing a middle school architecture; (2) benefits of the house concept; (3) the need for staff involvement in school design; (4) assembling houses into schools; (5) reduced discipline problems; (6) fostering teacher collaboration; and (7) measuring success.…

  13. Student Achievement and Fidelity of Implementation of the Middle School Concept in Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Delilah A.

    2013-01-01

    This study, using qualitative, multiple case methodology, examined four middle schools within a Local Education Agency (LEA) in eastern North Carolina to determine whether the implementation of key middle school features; (a) interdisciplinary teaming, (b) flexible scheduling, (c) advisor/advisee relationships, and (d) an integrative, exploratory…

  14. Lesher Middle School: Commitment by Choice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This article features Lesher Middle School, a school of choice, as are all of the schools in the Poudre School District in Ft. Collins, Colorado. In 2004, it was a traditional junior high school with a declining enrollment that housed an application-based International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) that resulted in tracking…

  15. The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Rourke, Kathleen, Ed.

    This book of readings presents 33 articles that address topics of importance to counselors who serve middle school students. It was written for counselors already working in middle schools and for individuals who are preparing for careers as middle school counselors. The book will also benefit both elementary school counselors who help children…

  16. Developmental Characteristics of Middle Schoolers and Middle School Organization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thornburg, Hershel D.

    The extent to which the middle school becomes a true educational alternative is directly related to the ability of middle school educators and researchers to identify and investigate the developmental needs and learning capacities of students. Three important developmental characteristics of early adolescents are a high need for peer friendships,…

  17. Thomas Edison Accelerated Elementary School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levin, Henry M.; Chasin, Gene

    This paper describes early outcomes of a Sacramento, California, elementary school that participated in the Accelerated Schools Project. The school, which serves many minority and poor students, began training for the project in 1992. Accelerated Schools were designed to advance the learning rate of students through a gifted and talented approach,…

  18. School-Wide Discipline Policies: In-School Suspension in One Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, Gloria; Paul, Rachel

    One of the more perplexing problems facing middle schools is the use of in-school suspension (ISS). So as to understand better the effects of this practice, one middle school's ISS program was studied and evaluated. Current research on ISS polices and practices is limited, and there is little evidence that supports its use or reform; however, in…

  19. Working While in Middle School: Student Perceptions of School Climate & Connectedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Sabrena

    2016-01-01

    Does working during the school year result in lowered perceptions of school climate and connectedness for middle school students? According to outcomes from a Rocky Mountain Region School District's (RMRSD) school climate survey, 20% of their middle school student population works during the school year. Existing literature on youth employment…

  20. Musicals Enrich Middle School Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Douglas D.; North, Rita

    2005-01-01

    An enriching fine arts program has long been advocated as an essential element of an effective middle school program. The vocal music program at Pleasant Hill (Missouri) Middle School supports student growth and development beyond the regular classroom. It supports students' existing skills and talents and provides opportunities for them to…

  1. Middle School Concept Helps High-Poverty Schools Become High-Performing Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Picucci, Ali Callicoatte; Brownson, Amanda; Kahlert, Rahel; Sobel, Andrew

    2004-01-01

    The results of a study conducted by the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin for the U.S. Department of Education during the 2001-02 school year showed that elements of the middle school concept can lead to improved student performance, even in high-poverty schools. This article describes common elements of the middle school…

  2. Middle School: Lessons from the Rand Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bunting, Carolyn E.

    2005-01-01

    This article reports on a recent study by the Rand Corporation that concluded that there is cause for middle schools to worry. Commissioned by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, one of four major philanthropies supporting the middle school movement, the Rand investigation is clear in its assessment: The American middle school leaves adolescents…

  3. School Size and Incidents of Violence among Texas Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kohler, Elizabeth A.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Combs, Julie P.; Bustamante, Rebecca M.; Edmonson, Stacey L.

    2015-01-01

    Although many studies have been conducted regarding (a) school violence in middle schools and (b) the size of schools, to date, no researcher appears to have examined the role that the size of the middle school plays in determining incidents of violence specifically fighting, assaults, and aggravated assaults. Thus, the purpose of this study was…

  4. In the Beginning of the Middle: Curriculum Considerations for Middle School General Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giebelhausen, Robin

    2015-01-01

    Middle school general music is an experience that numerous music educators feel underprepared to teach. Because many undergraduate programs spend little time on this teaching scenario and because the challenges of middle school general music are different from those of elementary general music or middle school ensembles, teachers often lack the…

  5. Stuck in the Middle: How and Why Middle Schools Harm Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockoff, Jonah E.; Lockwood, Benjamin B.

    2010-01-01

    Could middle schools be bad for student learning? Could something as simple as changing the grade configuration of schools improve academic outcomes? That's what some educators have come to believe. States and school districts across the country are reevaluating the practice of educating young adolescents in stand-alone middle schools, which…

  6. Calculus in the Middle School?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barger, Rita H.; McCoy, Ann C.

    2010-01-01

    This article presents an example of how middle school teachers can lay a foundation for calculus. Although many middle school activities connect directly to calculus concepts, the authors have decided to look in depth at only one: the concept of change. They will show how teachers can lead their students to see and appreciate the calculus…

  7. Mining the Middle School Mind

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vawter, David

    2010-01-01

    Middle school students are walking dichotomies. They can talk about world peace and then hit the kid next to them. They can recycle to ease global warming only to leave the cafeteria a mess. Why? Well, scientifically, it is because their brains do not work. When people look at middle school students, they can plainly see evidence of physical…

  8. The Middle School Mess: If You Love Bungee Jumping, You're the Middle School Type

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyer, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Suspended "between childhood and the adult world, pre-teens have been called the toughest to teach." Indeed, one can't touch middle school without hearing about "raging hormones." By all accounts, middle schools are a weak link in the chain of public education. Is it the churn of ill-conceived attempts at reform that's causing all the problems? Is…

  9. School Libraries and Science Achievement: A View from Michigan's Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mardis, Marcia

    2007-01-01

    If strong school library media centers (SLMCs) positively impact middle school student reading achievement, as measured on standardized tests, are they also beneficial for middle school science achievement? To answer this question, the researcher built upon the statistical analyses used in previous school library impact studies with qualitative…

  10. Does elementary school alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use increase middle school risk?

    PubMed

    Wilson, Nance; Battistich, Victor; Syme, S Leonard; Boyce, W Thomas

    2002-06-01

    To assess whether alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use in elementary school may have serious implications for continued ATOD use in middle school and beyond. Longitudinal analyses were conducted on questionnaire data from 331 middle school students who had previously provided ATOD-use data during elementary school. Non-school personnel administered questionnaires in three participating school districts in three different states. The sample of students was ethnically and geographically diverse, including students from a range of low socioeconomic status backgrounds living in rural, urban or inner-city environments. Middle school alcohol use was almost three times as likely to occur if alcohol use had occurred in elementary school (OR = 2.94, p <.001). Elementary school use of tobacco and marijuana also greatly increased the likelihood of middle school use (OR = 5.35, p <.001 and OR = 4.25, p <.05, respectively). Early use of ATOD is associated with greatly increased odds of later use, which has important implications for the timing of drug prevention programs. Preventive interventions designed for use in pediatric practice settings should commence no later than elementary school, during the middle childhood years.

  11. Rural Middle School Students' Perceptions of Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Jonte' C.

    2009-01-01

    The present study is an examination of bullying perceptions by rural middle school students. Three rural middle schools participated in the study which involved 138 students completing The School Bullying Survey to determine their experiences with bullying by types and the overall school climate as it relates to bullying behavior. Results from…

  12. School Mobility among Middle School Students: When and for Whom Does It Matter?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Sara

    2017-01-01

    This study sought to understand the extent to which elementary or middle school mobility was associated with adverse middle school academic achievement and mental health and whether youth or contextual characteristics moderated associations. I contrasted elementary and middle school mobility to consider whether a recent school move or elementary…

  13. Agriscience Education for the Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henrico County Public Schools, Glen Allen, VA. Virginia Vocational Curriculum and Resource Center.

    This curriculum guide, which is intended for middle school agriculture teachers in Virginia, outlines a three-course competency-based agriscience program to give middle school students an understanding of basic science concepts through agriculture. The guide begins with a program description that includes descriptions of the program's three…

  14. A Snapshot of Philadelphia's Accelerated Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edmunds, Kimberly; Fonseca, Ean

    2011-01-01

    This snapshot is a guide to the School District of Philadelphia's (the District's) 13 accelerated high schools in the 2010-11 school year. The accelerated high schools were the result of a partnership between the District and Project U-Turn, a city-wide coalition dedicated to reducing student drop-out and increasing graduation rates and readiness…

  15. Middle School Developmental Guidance. "Steps to Success."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, FL.

    This document articulates the goals and objectives of the middle school guidance program in Orange County, Florida Public Schools system. Professional roles and responsibilities are discussed, as well as program implementation. These goals to assist students are listed for the middle school guidance program: (1) understanding the school…

  16. Guided Investigations in Middle School Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schroth, Stephen T.; Helfer, Jason A.

    2008-01-01

    Gifted middle school mathematics students often exhibit boundless energy, a desire to exert some degree of control over their learning, and an ability to think logically and abstractly in ways that astound their parents and teachers. Middle school math curriculum that combines guided investigations of real-life problems with product-based…

  17. Classroom Management and the Middle School Philosophy. Fastback 500.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dougherty, John W.

    This document explores how teachers can connect the instructional and interpersonal approaches embedded in middle-school philosophy to effective classroom management. It describes the current mismatch between middle-school philosophy and practice and how the creation of middle-school grades introduced a volatile mismatch between a school's…

  18. The Netherlands: Report on the Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Western European Education, 1985

    1985-01-01

    The Commission for Renewal of the Middle School (ICM) in the Netherlands has been concentrating its efforts on introducing the middle school into the secondary school system. Described is a report published by the ICM in which the group discusses what it is proposing and problems that it is encountering. (RM)

  19. Penicillin treatment accelerates middle ear inflammation in experimental pneumococcal otitis media.

    PubMed Central

    Kawana, M; Kawana, C; Giebink, G S

    1992-01-01

    Most Streptococcus pneumoniae strains are killed by very low concentrations of penicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics, yet middle ear inflammation and effusion persist for days to weeks after treatment in most cases of pneumococcal otitis media. To study the effect of beta-lactam antibiotic treatment on pneumococci and the middle ear inflammatory response during pneumococcal otitis media, we measured concentrations of pneumococci, inflammatory cells, and lysozyme in middle ear fluid (MEF) by using the chinchilla model. Procaine penicillin G given intramuscularly 12 and 36 h after inoculation of pneumococci into the middle ear caused a significant acceleration in the MEF inflammatory cell concentration compared with that in untreated controls, with a significant peak in the inflammatory cell concentration 24 h after pneumococcal inoculation. The lysozyme concentration in MEF also increased more rapidly in treated than in control animals. Viable pneumococci were not detected in MEF after the second dose of penicillin, but the total pneumococcal cell concentration remained unchanged for at least 45 days. Therefore, penicillin treatment accelerated middle ear inflammation while killing pneumococci, but treatment did not accelerate clearance of the nonviable pneumococcal cells from MEF. Further studies will need to define the contribution of these responses to acute and chronic tissue injury. PMID:1563782

  20. Multiple Influences: Latinas, Middle School Science, and School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Carolyn

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes the multiple school and school science experiences of eight Latina students of Central American descent in a tracked, urbanized, middle school setting. Framed by a sociocultural perspective, I describe how eight seventh and eighth grade Latino girls interacted with school science. Implications for the concept "science for…

  1. Private Middle School Parents' Perspectives Regarding School-Located Immunization Programs (SLIPs)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Venkatesh, Sheila R.; Acosta, Amy B.; Middleman, Amy B.

    2013-01-01

    The perspectives of parents of private middle school students regarding the use of school-located immunization programs (SLIPs) are unknown. Parents of private middle school students in a large, urban setting were surveyed "N" = 1,210) regarding their willingness to use SLIPs. Analyses included frequencies and chi-square analyses. Data…

  2. 9-13 Middle Schools: A Local View

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorwood, Brian

    1978-01-01

    States that his experience leads him to question the similarity of constitution among middle schools. Examines the causes of that diversity which he believes characterizes the nine to thirteen middle school system in Hull. (Author/RK)

  3. An After-School Counseling Program for High-Risk Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kruczek, Theresa; Alexander, Charlene M.; Harris, Kevin

    2005-01-01

    There are a number of middle school students who experience difficulty making the transition from childhood to early adolescence and may be described as high-risk. This article describes an after-school program designed to promote healthy identity and adaptive personal choice behaviors in a high-risk group of middle school students.

  4. Preparing Students for Middle School Through After-School STEM Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreno, Nancy P.; Tharp, Barbara Z.; Vogt, Gregory; Newell, Alana D.; Burnett, Christopher A.

    2016-12-01

    The middle school years are a crucial time for cultivating students' interest in and preparedness for future STEM careers. However, not all middle school children are provided opportunities to engage, learn and achieve in STEM subject areas. Engineering, in particular, is neglected in these grades because it usually is not part of science or mathematics curricula. This study investigates the effectiveness of an engineering-integrated STEM curriculum designed for use in an after-school environment. The inquiry-based activities comprising the unit, Think Like an Astronaut, were intended to introduce students to STEM careers—specifically engineering and aerospace engineering—and enhance their skills and knowledge applicable related to typical middle school science objectives. Results of a field test with a diverse population of 5th grade students in nine schools revealed that Think Like an Astronaut lessons are appropriate for an after-school environment, and may potentially help increase students' STEM-related content knowledge and skills.

  5. Schools in the Middle: Developing a Middle-Level Orientation. The Practicing Administrator's Leadership Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKay, Jack A.

    This handbook was designed to help school administrators, teachers, and community members make a successful transition from a junior high school to a middle school. The focus is on the process rather than content. Chapter 1 provides an example of how one junior high school faculty and administration made the shift to a middle school. Chapter 2…

  6. Shifting Attendance Trajectories from Middle to High School: Influences of School Transitions and Changing School Contexts

    PubMed Central

    Benner, Aprile D.; Wang, Yijie

    2014-01-01

    In the current study, we examine patterns of school attendance across middle and high school with a diverse sample of 8,908 students (48% female; 54% Latino, 31% White, 13% African American, 2% Asian American). Attendance declined from middle through high school, but this overall pattern masked important variations. In total, 44% of students maintained their attendance trajectories from middle to high school (11% stable high, 19% high-decreasing, 10% mid-decreasing, 4% low-decreasing), and shifting attendance trajectories often signaled greater school disengagement (38% shifted to poorer attendance trajectories, 18% experienced improved attendance trajectories). Transition experiences, school structural characteristics, and the divergence between students’ middle and high schools provided insights into which students recovered, becoming more engaged in high school versus those who became more disconnected. Implications for identifying and intervening with disengaged youth are discussed. PMID:24364827

  7. Building Success into Your Montessori Middle School Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sutton, Ann

    2007-01-01

    Montessori middle schools can be immensely successful and highly beneficial to students. Traditional schools notice differences in students who come from Montessori backgrounds; they find them to be adaptable self-starters who often take on leadership roles. Prestigious high schools seek to recruit Montessori middle school graduates. As more…

  8. Middle School Expressions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliver, Teddy J.; Clements, Robert D.

    1983-01-01

    After viewing and discussing slides of Van Gogh's and Munch's paintings and studying the principles of color, middle school students had to execute two drawings, one showing any emotion and the second depicting an expressionistic self-portrait. (RM)

  9. Middle School Technology Integration Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Grey; Mantz, Chris

    This paper is a report on the development and findings of an on-going study being conducted on 126 middle schools in rural eastern North Carolina. An analysis of the technological readiness of each school is being followed with a program to offer school leaders a technology design and teacher training that will work in their schools. This includes…

  10. Oscar F. Smith Middle School: One Extra Degree

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This article features Oscar F. Smith Middle School, a challenging school in Chesapeake, Virginia. When Principal Linda Scott exclaims, "Oscar F. Smith Middle School is "hot"!" to visitors, she is not referring to the inside temperature of the bustling school of grades 6-8 located in the historic South Norfolk borough of…

  11. Piedmont City School District: Piedmont Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    EDUCAUSE, 2015

    2015-01-01

    At Piedmont Middle School, the future for students is changing through relevant, engaging learning opportunities, a school culture filled with hope, and a redesigned teaching and learning environment that utilizes blended learning, project-based learning, and competency-based learning to personalize education. The academic model is anchored by a…

  12. Preparing Students for Middle School through After-School STEM Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moreno, Nancy P.; Tharp, Barbara Z.; Vogt, Gregory; Newell, Alana D.; Burnett, Christopher A.

    2016-01-01

    The middle school years are a crucial time for cultivating students' interest in and preparedness for future STEM careers. However, not all middle school children are provided opportunities to engage, learn and achieve in STEM subject areas. Engineering, in particular, is neglected in these grades because it usually is not part of science or…

  13. School Climate in Middle Schools: A Cultural Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schneider, Stephanie H.; Duran, Lauren

    2010-01-01

    In 2007-08 and 2008-09, 2,500 randomly-selected middle school students completed an annual survey on school climate and character development. In examining differences based upon grade, gender, race/ethnicity, school, and length of program participation, significant differences were found for all but length of program participation. Responses of…

  14. The Louisiana Accelerated Schools Project First Year Evaluation Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    St. John, Edward P.; And Others

    The Louisiana Accelerated Schools Project (LASP) is a statewide network of schools that are changing from the traditional mode of schooling for at-risk students, which stresses remediation, to one of acceleration, which stresses accelerated learning for all students. The accelerated schools process provides a systematic approach to the…

  15. Focus on Curriculum Design for Middle School Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaminski, Lorraine B.; Dornbos, Karen L.

    The middle school concept was devised to counteract the tendency of junior high school programs to mimic those of the high school at the expense of addressing the developmental needs of students who are in the process of physical maturation. This book on curriculum design focuses on the importance of the middle school and understanding…

  16. Accelerated Reader[R]: What Are the Lasting Effects on the Reading Habits of Middle School Students Exposed to Accelerated Reader[R] in Elementary Grades?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pavonetti, Linda M.; Brimmer, Kathryn M.; Cipielewski, James F.

    Promoted by effective advertising and disseminated by word of mouth, many schools have adopted Accelerated Reader[R] as a supplementary reading program or as their primary reading program. Accelerated Reader[R]'s philosophy is that by using the system, students are motivated to read more and better books. A study investigated whether seventh grade…

  17. Middle School Buildings for the 21st Century.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Paul S.

    2003-01-01

    Discusses "pods,""team areas," and "houses" as middle school physical environments that support the type of learning opportunities young adolescents need. Offers examples of such school designs from Cleveland, Tennessee; British Columbia; and Milledgeville, Georgia. Concludes by suggesting specifications for new middle school buildings. (EV)

  18. [Violence prevention in secondary schools: the Faustlos-curriculum for middle school].

    PubMed

    Schick, Andreas; Cierpka, Manfred

    2009-01-01

    Schools and kindergartens are particularly suitable for the implementation of violence prevention programs. Many German schools and kindergartens have securely established the violence prevention curriculum Faustlos. The Faustlos programs for kindergartens and elementary schools are now complemented with the version for middle schools. As the kindergarten- and elementary school versions the middle school program too focuses on the theoretically profound, age group-tailored promotion of empathy, impulse control and anger management. These dimensions are subdivided into the five themes "understanding the problem" "training for empathy"; "anger management", "problem solving" and "applying skills" and taught stepwise, highly structured and based on several video sequences in 31 lessons. US-American evaluation studies proof the effectiveness and the violence prevention potential of the program. With the curriculum for middle schools a comprehensive Faustlos program package is now made available to sustainably promote core violence prevention competences of children and adolescents on a developmentally appropriate level and with a consistent didactic approach.

  19. Preparing New Teachers for Contemporary Middle Grades Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Susan

    2013-01-01

    This article describes the middle grades teacher preparation program at Augusta State University in Georgia. It describes the negotiation between the middle school concept and the standardized testing culture of the local schools as the faculty redesigned the undergraduate middle grades program to adequately address both. Ways in which new…

  20. Violence Prevention in Middle School: A Preliminary Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    KIllam, Wendy K.; Roland, Catherine B.; Weber, Bill

    2014-01-01

    Violence in schools continues reflecting violence within society. There is a growing need for violence prevention programs within the schools that provide students with the skills needed to cope with interpersonal and relationship is-sues effectively. This study was conducted at a middle school and there were 345 middle school students (6th to 8th…

  1. The Middle School of Tomorrow. Chapter 15, The American Middle School: An Organizational Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popper, Samuel H.

    The future development of the middle school depends on its continued commitment to the social value of a differentiated early adolescent education and on its adoption of innovations aimed at the institutional integration of its values with a changing society. Flexibility of programs and self-concept development of adolescents are key middle school…

  2. Exploring School- and Home-Related Protective Factors for Economically Disadvantaged Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okilwa, Nathern S. A.

    2016-01-01

    This study explored the experiences of middle school students, particularly focusing on the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students. For low SES middle school students, the known cumulative effects of poverty coupled with school transition and early adolescence development heighten the potential risks for school failure. By…

  3. Uniforms in the Middle School: Student Opinions, Discipline Data, and School Police Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez, Jafeth E.; Yoxsimer, Andrew; Hill, George C.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated public middle school students' opinions on the benefits of wearing a school uniform. A review of related literature is provided along with results of the opinions obtained from 604 seventh- and eighth-grade middle school students attending a public school in Nevada that had recently initiated a school uniform policy.…

  4. School lunch waste among middle school students: nutrients consumed and costs.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Juliana F W; Richardson, Scott; Austin, S Bryn; Economos, Christina D; Rimm, Eric B

    2013-02-01

    The National School Lunch Program has been guided by modest nutrient standards, and the palatability of meals, which drives consumption, receives inadequate attention. School food waste can have important nutritional and cost implications for policymakers, students, and their families. Nutrient losses and economic costs associated with school meal waste were examined. The study also assessed if school foods served were valid proxies for foods consumed by students. Plate waste measurements were collected from middle school students in Boston attending two Chef Initiative schools (n=1609) and two control schools (n=1440) during a 2-year pilot study (2007-2009) in which a professional chef trained cafeteria staff to make healthier school meals. The costs associated with food waste were calculated and the percentage of foods consumed was compared with a gold standard of 85% consumption. Analyses were conducted in 2010-2011. Overall, students consumed less than the required/recommended levels of nutrients. An estimated $432,349 of food (26.1% of the total food budget) was discarded by middle school students annually at lunch in these Boston middle schools. For most meal components, substantially less than 85% was consumed. There is substantial food waste among middle school students in Boston. Overall, students' nutrient consumption levels were below school meal standards, and foods served were not valid proxies for foods consumed. The costs associated with discarded foods are high; if translated nationally for school lunches, roughly $1,238,846,400 annually is wasted. Students might benefit if additional focus were given to the quality and palatability of school meals. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Are middle schools harmful? The role of transition timing, classroom quality and school characteristics.

    PubMed

    Holas, Igor; Huston, Aletha C

    2012-03-01

    Are middle schools ill-suited for early adolescents, or can school characteristics account for any differences in student functioning? Achievement, school engagement, and perceived competence of children starting middle schools in 5th and 6th grades were compared to those of their same-grade peers in elementary schools in a national, longitudinal sample (NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, n = 855; 52% Female, 82% White). Classroom quality (observed and teacher-reported) and school characteristics (composition and size) were considered as explanations for any relationships between school-level and student functioning. Fifth grade middle school students did not differ from those in elementary school, but students entering middle school in 6th grade, compared to those in elementary school, experienced lower classroom quality, which in turn predicted slightly lower achievement. They also had lower school engagement, explained by larger school size. Classroom quality and school characteristics predicted youth functioning regardless of school type. We suggest reshaping the research and policy debate with renewed focus on classroom quality and school size instead of grade organization.

  6. Satisfaction of Middle School Lunch Program Participants and Non-Participants with the School Lunch Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Stephanie; Cunningham-Sabo, Leslie; Auld, Garry

    2015-01-01

    Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine middle school students' satisfaction with the school lunch experience, using two validated surveys; the Middle/Junior High School Student Participation Survey and the Middle/Junior High School Student Non-Participation Survey, both developed by the National Food Service Management…

  7. Find Meaning in Middle School Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pagnano, Karen

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to provide readers with several suggestions and ideas for promoting meaning and meaningfulness for middle school students in physical education based on their unique developmental characteristics. To help physical educators create movement experiences that are meaningful for middle school students, the author…

  8. Democratic Leadership in Middle Schools of Chihuahua Mexico: Improving Middle Schools through Democracy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delgado, Manuel Lopez

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of the implementation of a democratic approach to lead and manage middle schools in Chihuahua, Mexico. This research was based on a Likert questionnaire and semistructured interviews to explore the level of involvement of students, teachers, and parents in schools participating in a programme…

  9. Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ride, Sally

    2008-01-01

    Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM), an education activity, allows middle school students to program a digital camera on board the International Space Station to photograph a variety of geographical targets for study in the classroom. Photos are made available on the web for viewing and study by participating schools around the world. Educators use the images for projects involving Earth Science, geography, physics, and social science.

  10. Engaging Musical Practices: A Sourcebook for Middle School General Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burton, Suzanne L., Ed.

    2012-01-01

    Middle school general music may be a student's last encounter with school music. A practical book with accessible pedagogical resources on middle school general music is needed for methods courses and music practitioners' use. The book "Engaging Musical Practices: A Sourcebook for Middle School General Music" presents numerous ways to engage…

  11. Integrated Curriculum in the Middle School. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beane, James

    Recent debates among educators about the middle school curriculum involve three concepts: (1) middle school ought to provide a general education school in which the curriculum focuses on widely shared concerns of early adolescents and the larger world rather than specialization among separate subjects; (2) the curriculum ought to serve the…

  12. Middle School Teachers and Principals Perspectives on Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Majeski, Mark

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the researcher endeavored to examine Morris County, New Jersey, middle school teacher and principal perspectives on the use of technology in their classrooms and schools. Specifically, this study examined teacher engagement, implementation and limitations related to the use of technology with middle school students. This study used…

  13. Student Achievement in High Performing, Suburban Middle Schools and Low Performing, Urban Middle Schools: Plausible Explanations for the Differences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Kathleen M.; Anfara, Vincent A., Jr.; Roney, Kathleen

    2004-01-01

    Utilizing a qualitative, multisite case study design and the theoretical framework of Hoy and Hannum (1997), the design and execution of this research investigates plausible explanations for the difference in student achievement between high performing (HPS) suburban middle schools and low performing (LPS) urban middle schools. Aside from the…

  14. The Cultural Contradictions of Middle Schooling for Rural Community Survival.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeYoung, Alan J.; And Others

    During 1968-91, middle schools were the only school type to grow in number, increasing by over 400 percent. Middle school advocates focus on early adolescents' need for developmentally appropriate institutions, but show only a weak historical understanding of the emergence and status of middle schools. Critical factors in early support for the…

  15. Developing a school functioning index for middle schools.

    PubMed

    Birnbaum, Amanda S; Lytle, Leslie A; Perry, Cheryl L; Murray, David; Story, Mary

    2003-08-01

    Despite widespread recognition of schools' role in the healthy development of youth, surprisingly little research has examined the relationships between schools' overall functioning and the health-related behavior of students. School functioning could become an important predictor of students' health-related behavior and may be amenable to intervention. This paper describes the development and testing of the School Functioning Index (SFI) as a first step in investigating this question. The index was developed for use with middle schools and conceived as a predictor of students' violent behavior, with the potential for extending research applications to additional health and social behaviors. Using social cognitive theory, social ecological theory, and social disorganization theory as guides, three domains were identified to operationalize school functioning and identify candidate SFI items: 1) resources available to the school and students; 2) stability of the school population; and 3) the schools' performance as a socializing agent for students. Data for candidate SFI items were collected from public archives and directly from 16 middle schools participating in a school-based dietary intervention study. Data collection from schools, particularly concerning student aggressive behavior and disciplinary actions, presented challenges. The final SFI comprised nine items and demonstrated good internal consistency and variability. The SFI was modestly correlated in expected directions with violence and other health behaviors. This work supports the feasibility of combining multiple school-level indicators to create a measure of overall school functioning. Further investigation of validity and more acceptable data collection methods are warranted.

  16. Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas.

    PubMed

    Surani, Salim; Hesselbacher, Sean; Surani, Saherish; Sadasiva, Sreevidya; Surani, Zoya; Surani, Sara S; Khimani, Amina; Subramanian, Shyam

    2015-01-01

    Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school.

  17. Middle School Math. What Works Clearinghouse Topic Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviewed interventions to promote middle school students' math knowledge and skills. Because there is some variation in how school districts organize middle school, we considered curricula aimed at students in grades 6 through 9, covering one or more of the following content areas: numbers and operations,…

  18. Desks, Dollars, and Deficits: Managing a Middle School during a Recession.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merrill, Adeline B.

    1992-01-01

    A brief history of East Ridge Middle School in Connecticut illustrates the strong economic and demographic pressures that can work against a middle school. The principal plays a crucial role in preserving both the structure and the programs of an effective middle school. Points out strategies to protect and develop middle schools in tough economic…

  19. Teaching with Picture Books in the Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tiedt, Iris McClellan

    Arguing that picture books have much to offer students in the upper grades (including middle school and even high school students), this book discusses using picture books to stimulate students' thinking in a variety of topic areas. Chapter 1, Using Picture Books in the Middle School To Stimulate Thinking, introduces the topic of using picture…

  20. Best Practice in Middle-School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Wilcox, Kristen C.; Angelis, Janet; Applebee, Arthur N.; Amodeo, Vincent; Snyder, Michele A.

    2013-01-01

    Using socio-ecological theory, this study explores best practice (educational practices correlated with higher student performance) in middle-school science. Seven schools with consistently higher student performance were compared with three demographically similar, average-performing schools. Best practice included instructional approaches…

  1. Relationship of Teacher Training and School Characteristics to Middle School State Assessment Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Tina J.; Hicklin, Lori K.; French, Karen E.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To examine the relationship between the South Carolina middle school physical education assessment results and the school characteristics. In addition, the relationship between teacher training attendance and student achievement were determined. Method: Student performance on four physical education indicators in 63 middle schools (and…

  2. The Culture of Bullying in Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unnever, James D.; Cornell, Dewey G.

    2003-01-01

    Study assessed the nature and extent of student attitudes toward bullying. Data from surveys of over 2,400 students in six middle schools indicated that a culture of bullying was pervasive among middle school students. Students believed that, in most cases, neither classmates nor teachers would intervene to stop bullying. Most students denied that…

  3. White Middle Class Identities and Urban Schooling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devine, Dympna; Savage, Mike; Ingram, Nicola

    2012-01-01

    The authors review "White middle class identities and urban schooling," by D. Reay, G. Crozier and D. James. This book focuses on the perspectives of white middle-class parents who make "against"-the-grain school choices for their children in urban England. It provides key insights into the dynamics of class practising that are…

  4. School Start Times for Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2011-12 School Year.

    PubMed

    Wheaton, Anne G; Ferro, Gabrielle A; Croft, Janet B

    2015-08-07

    Adolescents who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight; not engage in daily physical activity; suffer from depressive symptoms; engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as drinking, smoking tobacco, and using illicit drugs; and perform poorly in school. However, insufficient sleep is common among high school students, with less than one third of U.S. high school students sleeping at least 8 hours on school nights. In a policy statement published in 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urged middle and high schools to modify start times as a means to enable students to get adequate sleep and improve their health, safety, academic performance, and quality of life. AAP recommended that "middle and high schools should aim for a starting time of no earlier than 8:30 a.m.". To assess state-specific distributions of public middle and high school start times and establish a pre-recommendation baseline, CDC and the U.S. Department of Education analyzed data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Among an estimated 39,700 public middle, high, and combined schools* in the United States, the average start time was 8:03 a.m. Overall, only 17.7% of these public schools started school at 8:30 a.m. or later. The percentage of schools with 8:30 a.m. or later start times varied greatly by state, ranging from 0% in Hawaii, Mississippi, and Wyoming to more than three quarters of schools in Alaska (76.8%) and North Dakota (78.5%). A school system start time policy of 8:30 a.m. or later provides teenage students the opportunity to achieve the 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep recommended by AAP and the 8-10 hours recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

  5. Recruiting middle school students into nursing: An integrative review.

    PubMed

    Williams, Cheryl

    2017-10-27

    Middle school students interested in nursing need clarification of the nursing role. Students choose nursing as a career because they want to help others, yet they are often unaware of the need to for arduous secondary education preparation to become a nurse. Middle school students, if not properly exposed to the career during their formative years, may choose another career or not have enough time for adequate nursing school preparation. This integrative review examined seven studies from years 2007 to 2016, which utilized various recruitment strategies to increase the awareness of nursing as a career in middle school and address the need for academic rigor. Implications of the review: there is a need for collaboration between nurses and school counselors to design more robust longitudinal studies of middle school interventions for students interested in nursing as a career. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Experiences and Perceptions of Middle School Handbell Participants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rohwer, Debbie

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to describe the process of music learning and the perceptions of members in a school-based middle school handbell setting. The participants were 39 students and one music teacher in a middle school in Texas. The design of the current study was a case study using observation and interview data. The results…

  7. Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas

    PubMed Central

    Surani, Salim; Hesselbacher, Sean; Surani, Saherish; Sadasiva, Sreevidya; Surani, Zoya; Surani, Sara S.; Khimani, Amina; Subramanian, Shyam

    2015-01-01

    Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school. PMID:26770835

  8. Comprehensive School Reform & Student Achievement in Kentucky Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans-Andris, Melissa; Usui, Wayne M.

    2008-01-01

    This project examines the effects of Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) models on the achievement of students in Kentucky middle schools. Previous studies exploring the effects of CSR on schools and student achievement have rendered mixed results (Berends, 2000; May & Supovitz, 2006; May, Supovitz, & Perda, 2004; RAND, 2002; Zhang,…

  9. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1981

    1981-01-01

    Describes activities, demonstrations, and materials suitable for middle school science, including investigations on solar energy, surface tension, exploding cottages, worms and light, airplanes, depolarizing simple cells, and the thermal expansion of metals. (JN)

  10. Associations between School Climate, Suicidal Thoughts, and Behaviors and Ethnicity among Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    La Salle, Tamika P.; Wang, Cixin; Parris, Leandra; Brown, Jacqueline A.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationships between suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), school climate, and student demographics among middle school students. The study was conducted with a sample of 152,191 middle school students across 607 schools within 182 school districts in a southeastern state. Results support…

  11. Middle School Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook-Kallio, Cheryl

    1991-01-01

    Discusses the use of primary resources in the teaching of middle school social studies. Describes a lesson in which students were given a copy of the Declaration of Independence, written in everyday language, and were asked to discuss and evaluate it. Suggests another activity based on Thomas Jefferson's writings. (SG)

  12. Teaching Middle School Language Arts: Incorporating Twenty-First Century Literacies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Small Roseboro, Anna J.

    2010-01-01

    "Teaching Middle School Language Arts" is the first book on teaching middle school language arts for multiple intelligences and related twenty-first-century literacies in technologically and ethnically diverse communities. More than 670,000 middle school teachers (grades six through eight) are responsible for educating nearly 13 million students…

  13. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1982

    1982-01-01

    Presents procedures, demonstrations, activities, and teaching suggestions on topics appropriate for middle school science including a simple electrolysis cell, conversion factors, energy, solubilities of salts, condensers, and a worksheet for studying coppice woodlands. (DC)

  14. Mid South Middle Start: Studies of Three Middle Start Schools in the Mid South Delta

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rose, Lea Williams; Cheney, Nancy

    2005-01-01

    These three case studies highlight the implementation and impact of Mid South Middle Start by: (1) contributing toward an in-depth understanding of what it means to be a school implementing Middle Start; (2) describing a holistic portrait of the schools' participation in Mid South Middle Start; and (3) assisting the Academy for Educational…

  15. School Aggression and Dispositional Aggression among Middle School Boys

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ballard, Mary E.; Rattley, Kelvin T.; Fleming, Willie C.; Kidder-Ashley, Pamela

    2004-01-01

    We examined the relationship between dispositional (trait) aggression and administrative reports of school aggression among 100 adolescent male participants from an urban middle school. Aggression was fairly common among the sample; 58 boys had a record of school aggression, and many of those were repeat offenders. Our hypothesis that those higher…

  16. Predictors and consequences of prescription drug misuse during middle school.

    PubMed

    Tucker, Joan S; Ewing, Brett A; Miles, Jeremy N V; Shih, Regina A; Pedersen, Eric R; D'Amico, Elizabeth J

    2015-11-01

    Non-medical prescription drug use (NMPDU) is a growing public health problem among adolescents. This is the first study to examine the correlates of early NMPDU initiation during middle school, and how early initiation is associated with four domains of functioning in high school (mental health, social, academic, and delinquency). Students initially in 6th-8th grades from 16 middle schools completed in-school surveys between 2008 and 2011 (Waves 1-5), and a web-based survey in 2013-2014 (Wave 6). We used discrete time survival analysis to assess predictors of initiation from Waves 1 to 5 based on students who provided NMPDU information at any of these waves (n=12,904), and regression analysis to examine high school outcomes associated with initiation based on a sample that was followed into high school, Wave 6 (n=2539). Low resistance self-efficacy, family substance use, low parental respect, and offers of other substances from peers were consistently associated with NMPDU initiation throughout middle school. Further, perceiving that more of one's peers engaged in other substance use was associated with initiation at Wave 1 only. By high school, those students who initiated NMPDU during middle school reported lower social functioning, and more suspensions and fighting, compared to students who did not initiate NMPDU during middle school. NMPDU initiation during middle school is associated with poorer social functioning and greater delinquency in high school. It is important for middle school prevention programs to address NMPDU. Such programs should focus on both family and peer influences, as well as strengthening resistance self-efficacy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. What Role for Middle School Sports?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McEwin, C. Kenneth; Dickinson, Thomas S.

    1998-01-01

    Safe, developmentally appropriate play is difficult to achieve when middle schools move into the competitive interscholastic arena. Problems associated with middle-level sports programs include students' predisposition to physical injury, psychological unreadiness, high attrition rates, improper coaching, and liability issues. Improving…

  18. FMA Live! at Hardy Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-09-16

    Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former 2x astronaut, Hardy Middle School Prinipal Patricia Pride, and Tom Buckmaster, President, Honeywell Hometown Solutions introduce "FMA Live!" at Hardy Middle School in Washington on Monday, Sept. 16th, 2013. "FMA Live!" is a program sponsored by NASA and Honeywell that teaches Newton's three laws of motion mixed with dance and music. The program travels across the country and has reached nearly 300,000 students.Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

  19. FMA Live! at Hardy Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-09-16

    Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former 2x astronaut,Hardy Middle School Prinipal Patricia Pride, and Tom Buckmaster, President, Honeywell Hometown Solutions introduce "FMA Live!" at Hardy Middle School in Washington on Monday, Sept. 16th, 2013. "FMA Live!" is a program sponsored by NASA and Honeywell that teaches Newton's three laws of motion mixed with dance and music. The program travels across the country and has reached nearly 300,000 students.Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

  20. FMA Live! at Hardy Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-09-16

    Two teachers at Hardy Middle School square off in foam suits as "FMA Live!" crew members explain Newton's third law of motion during a performance of "FMA Live!" at Hardy Middle School in Washington on Monday, Sept. 16th, 2013. "FMA Live!" is a program sponsored by NASA and Honeywell that teaches Newton's three laws of motion mixed with dance and music. The program travels across the country and has reached nearly 300,000 students.Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

  1. Early Predictors of Middle School Fraction Knowledge

    PubMed Central

    Bailey, Drew H.; Siegler, Robert S.; Geary, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic proficiency, domain general cognitive abilities, parental income and education, race, and gender. Similarly, knowledge of whole number arithmetic in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction arithmetic in middle school, controlling for whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade and the other control variables. In contrast, neither type of early whole number knowledge uniquely predicted middle school reading achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of numerical development and for improving mathematics learning. PMID:24576209

  2. Middle School Transition Stress: Links with Academic Performance, Motivation, and School Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Sara E.; Boxer, Paul; Rudolph, Erin

    2015-01-01

    The present study investigates links between early adolescents' subjective experiences of stress associated with the middle school transition and their academic outcomes. Seventh and eighth grade students (N?=?774) were surveyed about their experiences during their transition to middle school. Students answered questions about stress…

  3. Ann Richards Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kell, John H.

    2001-01-01

    Presents photos and basic information about a Texas middle school whose architecture reflects the hybrid culture of the borderlands and "regionalism" in which it is located. A line drawing of the site plan is included. (GR)

  4. Haymon-Morris Middle School: Keeping the Peace in Georgia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This article features Haymon-Morris Middle School in Winder, Georgia. This highly successful Title I middle school is tucked behind the high school in a rural area 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. The staff is dedicated to creating a culture where it is believed that a calm, serene school setting results in less stress for both students and staff…

  5. Accelerating Mathematics Achievement Using Heterogeneous Grouping

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burris, Carol Corbett; Heubert, Jay P.; Levin, Henry M.

    2006-01-01

    This longitudinal study examined the effects of providing an accelerated mathematics curriculum in heterogeneously grouped middle school classes in a diverse suburban school district. A quasi-experimental cohort design was used to evaluate subsequent completion of advanced high school math courses as well as academic achievement. Results showed…

  6. Middle School Principals' Perceptions and Preferences When Hiring Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mee, Molly; Haverback, Heather Rogers

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate middle school principals' knowledge of the state's new middle level teacher certification, their hiring preferences for newly certified teachers, and their perceptions of middle certified teacher' competencies in teaching various subject areas to middle school students. Survey data indicated that the…

  7. Middle School, One-to-One

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weber, Eric G.

    2009-01-01

    Westside Middle School, located in Omaha, Nebraska, serves 950 seventh- and eighth-grade students. Over the last few years, the school's teachers and administrators have evaluated its technology status and needs. As part of this process, the staff members engaged in many activities, including developing a building-level technology plan, organizing…

  8. Activity Preferences of Middle School Physical Education Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenwood, Michael; Stillwell, Jim; Byars, Allyn

    2001-01-01

    Investigated the physical education activity preferences of middle school students who completed a checklist featuring a variety of activities. Overall, middle school boys and girls both differed and agreed on their interests for specific activities. Most students liked basketball, bicycling, roller skating, soccer, swimming, and volleyball but…

  9. Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connor, Kevin J.; D'Angelo, Christina M.

    2013-01-01

    This report shares a study that explored the perceptions pre-service teachers have of middle school students. Participants were asked to complete the "Adjective Checklist" ("ACL") by endorsing the words they considered most characteristic of a typical middle school student. Items most frequently endorsed indicated a…

  10. Adult and Middle School Girls' Perceptions of Risk-Taking Behavior: Implications for School Practitioners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Brett Johnson; Garibaldi, Mark

    2013-01-01

    There is an overwhelming disconnect between young adolescent girls and adults, in relationship to perceptions of middle schoolgirl risk taking. This mixed-methods study investigates the differences between adult practitioners and middle school girls' perceptions of risk taking, understanding of consequences, and needs among middle school girls.…

  11. Relations between Popularity and Prosocial Behavior in Middle School and High School Chinese Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lu, Ting; Li, Ling; Niu, Li; Jin, Shenghua; French, Doran C.

    2018-01-01

    The concurrent and longitudinal associations between popularity, likeability, and prosocial behavior were evaluated in this three-year study of middle school and high school Chinese adolescents. The initial sample included 766 middle school (mean age = 13.3 years) and 668 high school participants (mean age = 16.6 years); there were 880 (399 girls)…

  12. Greeley's Maplewood Middle School Stellar in Solar Car Race

    Science.gov Websites

    - Students from Greeley's Maplewood Middle School built the fastest model solar car and won the Junior Solar Monarch K-8 School in Louisville won top honors for design. Forty-one teams from across Colorado entered School's car 13 "Crème de la Crème," fourth place; and Golden's Bell Middle School, fifth place

  13. The Purpose-Driven Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chesley, Gary M.; Hartman, Diane

    2010-01-01

    During the 2008-2009 school year, faculty members at New Fairfield (CT) Middle School examined relevance and student engagement in relation to student achievement. Subtle clues indicated that students were not fully engaged in their learning: many students did not relate their classroom experiences to their personal reality or to their vision of…

  14. Transitions between subclasses of bullying and victimization when entering middle school.

    PubMed

    Williford, Anne; Boulton, Aaron J; Jenson, Jeffrey M

    2014-01-01

    We examined the effects of depressive symptoms, antisocial attitudes, and perspective-taking empathy on patterns of bullying and victimization during the transition from late elementary (4th grade to 5th grade) to middle school (6th grade) among 1,077 students who participated in the Youth Matters (YM) bullying prevention trial. Latent transition analysis was used to establish classes of bullying, victimization, bully-victimization, and uninvolvement. The intervention had a positive impact on children as they moved from elementary to middle school. More students in the YM group transitioned from the involved statuses to the uninvolved status than students in the control group during the move to middle school. Elementary school bullies with higher levels of depressive symptoms were less likely than other students to move to an uninvolved status in the first year of middle school. Students who held greater antisocial attitudes were more likely to be a member of the bully-victim status than the uninvolved status during the move to middle school. Perspective-taking empathy, however, was not a significant predictor of status change during the transition to middle school. Implications for school-based prevention programs during the move to middle school are noted. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Understanding Middle Leaders: A Closer Look at Middle Leadership in Primary Schools in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heng, Mary Anne; Marsh, Colin J.

    2009-01-01

    What is the nature of middle leadership in primary schools? What are middle leaders' understanding and experiences in leading learning and teaching? Set against the policy context of decentralised centralism in Singapore and an emerging worldwide trend of decentralisation as a means to encourage school-based development and innovation, this study…

  16. The Accelerated Schools Project: Pope Elementary School, 1993-94.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Windward Oahu School District, Kailu, HI.

    This report describes the first year of implementation of the 5-year Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) at Blanche Pope Elementary School in rural Oahu (Hawaii). ASP trains school staff and community members to transform governance, curriculum, and instruction in schools serving predominantly at-risk and minority, low-achieving students. In…

  17. Prioritizing Elementary School Writing Instruction: Cultivating Middle School Readiness for Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ciullo, Stephen; Mason, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Helping elementary students with learning disabilities (LD) prepare for the rigor of middle school writing is an instructional priority. Fortunately, several standards-based skills in upper elementary school and middle school overlap. Teachers in upper elementary grades, specifically fourth and fifth grades, have the opportunity to provide…

  18. Interdisciplinary Middle School Teams as Professional Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, George Ellis, Jr.

    2016-01-01

    Problem: Interdisciplinary teaming has been noted as a critical element of the middle school model associated with higher student achievement. Yet, research on middle school teams' use of common planning time suggests that the majority of meeting time is spent discussing student behavior/issues, discussing student learning problems/issues, and…

  19. Work and Family Life: Middle School Content Competencies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

    This document, which lists the middle school content competencies for the Work and Family Studies curriculum within Family and Consumer Sciences in Ohio, is intended to help middle school students develop self-responsibility and competence dealing with the practical problems of early adolescence. (Career awareness and career choice options are…

  20. Middle School Girls: Perceptions and Experiences with Robotics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyun, Tricia

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the impact a robotics curriculum might have on the experiences and perceptions of middle school girls in two California classrooms. The research found that middle school girls in two different California classrooms felt that their experiences with robotics were personalized experiences…

  1. In the Middle: Do We Share the Vision? Do Principals and Teachers Agree about the Middle School Concept?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watts, Cherry; Seed, Allen H.; Franceschini, Louis A., III

    2013-01-01

    In 2009, the Tennessee Professors of Middle Level Education (TPOMLE) examined how Tennessee schools implemented the middle school concept. Of concern was the impact that emphasis on accountability and achievement had on the middle school concept which emphasizes the development of the whole child. A survey was developed based on the tenets of…

  2. Middle School Responses to Cyberbullying: An Action Research Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zidack, Astri Marie

    2013-01-01

    This action research study engaged a small public middle school in the northwest United States in a collaborative process to address cyberbullying issues that often lead to academic and behavior problems in schools (Hinduja, 2010; Olweus, 2010). The specific purpose of this action research study was to address the middle school's cyberbullying…

  3. Family and Consumer Sciences Delivers Middle School Multicultural Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clauss, Barbara A.

    2006-01-01

    In this article, the author talks about valuing individual and group differences and knowing how to interact effectively with a variety of people in school through multicultural education in a middle school family and consumer sciences setting. Here, she answers the questions: (1) Why multicultural education? (2) Why middle school? and (3) Why…

  4. Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Middle School Students Attending Bureau Funded Schools, 1997.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaughnessy, Lana; Everett, Sherry; Ranslow, Steve

    This report presents findings from a spring 1997 survey of all middle-school students (grades 6-8) enrolled in schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was completed by 6,990 students in 115 of the 122 BIA-funded middle schools; the overall response rate was 74 percent.…

  5. Chronic fatigue syndrome in Chinese middle-school students.

    PubMed

    Shi, Jieyao; Shen, Jie; Xie, Jian; Zhi, Jianming; Xu, Yong

    2018-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and its associated factors in middle-school students in Suzhou, China. From September 2010 to January 2011, across-sectional study was conducted in junior- and senior middle-school students aged 10 to 18 years using a battery of confidential questionnaires. Our results indicate that 18,139 completed the questionnaires effectively, of whom 163 (0.9%) met the definition of CFS, with senior high-school students and male students predominating. The prevalence of CFS in the middle-school students increased steadily with age. The main symptoms of CFS in these students included being afraid of going to school, despondency, and irritability in addition to those specified in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our study shows that CFS is prevalent among Chinese teenagers, and requiring proper intervention and treatment.

  6. Learning Leadership Skills in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowman, Richard F.

    2013-01-01

    For middle school students, the essence of 21st-century leadership development is being "in influence" versus being "in control." A core student leadership skill involves listening intently to others, framing others' concerns, and advancing the other person's interests. Creating contexts in which middle school…

  7. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1983

    1983-01-01

    Demonstrations, experiments, and classroom activities/materials for middle school science are presented. These include: additive color mixing demonstration; electricity activity and worksheet; atmospheric pressure "magic" demonstration; homemade microbalance; energy from soap bubbles; and a model used to demonstrate muscle pairs and how…

  8. Exploratory Programing in Georgia's Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warren, Louis L.; Allen, Michael G.

    This study surveyed the nature and extent of exploratory programming in intermediate schools. A 22-item questionnaire was sent to all 285 of the state's middle and junior high schools. Of the 163 respondents, 160 indicated that they had some form of exploratory programming. The latter number included: (1) 155 schools with traditional exploratory…

  9. Associations between Parental Limits, School Vending Machine Purchases, and Soft Drink Consumption among Kentucky Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nickelson, Jen; Roseman, Mary G.; Forthofer, Melinda S.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To examine associations between parental limits on soft drinks and purchasing soft drinks from school vending machines and consuming soft drinks among middle school students. Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Setting: Eight public middle schools in central Kentucky.…

  10. Computer Utilization in Middle Tennessee High Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucas, Sam

    In order to determine the capacity of high schools to profit from the pre-high school computer experiences of its students, a study was conducted to measure computer utilization in selected high schools of Middle Tennessee. Questionnaires distributed to 50 principals in 28 school systems covered the following areas: school enrollment; number and…

  11. Alternative Education Programmes and Middle School Dropout in Honduras

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Jeffery H.; Aguilar, Claudia R.; Alas, Mario; Castellanos, Renán Rápalo; Castro, Levi; Enamorado, Ramón; Fonseca, Esther

    2014-01-01

    Honduras has made steady progress in expanding post-primary school coverage in recent years, but many rural communities still do not provide a middle (lower secondary) school. As a result, Honduras has implemented a number of middle school alternative programmes designed to meet the needs of at-risk populations throughout the country. This article…

  12. Data-Based Decision-Making Teams in Middle School: Observations and Implications from the Middle School Intervention Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crone, Deanne A.; Carlson, Sarah E.; Haack, Marcia K.; Kennedy, Patrick C.; Baker, Scott K.; Fien, Hank

    2016-01-01

    The use of data-based decision making (DBDM) in schools to drive educational improvement and success has been strongly promoted by educational experts and policymakers, yet very little is documented about the actual DBDM practices used in schools. This study examines DBDM practices in 25 middle schools through 80 standardized observations of data…

  13. The Middle School Transition in Private Schools: Student Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atkinson, Eileen Irby

    2010-01-01

    Students transitioning into the middle school often experience difficulty adjusting to their new environment. During this transition, declines in academic motivation, academic achievement, and connectedness have been noted. Most research on this transition has taken place in public school settings. This research investigated the impact of the…

  14. Creating Hybrid Spaces for Engaging School Science among Urban Middle School Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barton, Angela Calabrese; Tan, Edna; Rivet, Ann

    2008-01-01

    The middle grades are a crucial time for girls in making decisions about how or if they want to follow science trajectories. In this article, the authors report on how urban middle school girls enact meaningful strategies of engagement in science class in their efforts to merge their social worlds with the worlds of school science and on the…

  15. Greeley's Maplewood Middle School Stellar in Solar Car Race

    Science.gov Websites

    ; Sinclair Middle School's car 21, "The Flyer," second place; Eagle Valley Middle School's car 5 , competitors designed and built vehicles no larger than 12 inches wide, 24 inches long and 12 inches high. The

  16. Influences of High-Stakes Testing on Middle School Mission and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musoleno, Ronald R.; White, George P.

    2010-01-01

    This study explored the effects of high-stakes testing and accountability on the fundamental practices associated with middle school philosophy. Participants were middle school educators, including administrators and teachers, from Pennsylvania middle schools. An online survey was used to collect data for this study. The survey addressed the…

  17. Thinking Processes in Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matsuoka, Caryn

    2012-01-01

    As part of the author's doctoral program at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, she conducted a study to determine whether and how former sixth-grade students at Waikiki School were using the thinking processes and strategies they were taught in elementary school when they were in middle school. In order to find this out, she interviewed eight…

  18. Systems Thinking among School Middle Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaked, Haim; Schechter, Chen

    2017-01-01

    Systems thinking is a holistic approach that puts the study of wholes before that of parts. This study explores systems thinking among school middle leaders--teachers who have management responsibility for a team of teachers or for an aspect of the school's work. Interviews were held with 93 school coordinators, among them year heads, heads of…

  19. Delaware Middle Schools Beating the Odds. Technical Report Number T2010.4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grusenmeyer, Linda; Fifield, Steve; Murphy, Aideen; Nian, Qinghua; Qian, Xiaoyu

    2010-01-01

    The investigation identified Delaware public and charter middle schools across the state which outperformed other Delaware middle schools with similar student demographic profiles. Teachers and administrators at six of these "Beating the Odds" schools and at six comparison middle schools were surveyed regarding their schools…

  20. Follow-up of an elementary school intervention for asthma management: do gains last into middle school?

    PubMed

    Greenberg, Cindy; Luna, Pamela; Simmons, Gretchen; Huhman, Marian; Merkle, Sarah; Robin, Leah; Keener, Dana

    2010-06-01

    Albuquerque Public Schools (APS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted an evaluation to examine whether students who were exposed to the APS asthma program in elementary school retained benefits into middle school. APS middle school students who participated in the APS asthma program in elementary school, including the Open Airways for Schools (OAS) education curriculum, responded to a follow-up questionnaire (N = 121) and participated in student focus groups (N = 40). Asthma management self-efficacy scores from the follow-up questionnaire were compared to scores obtained before and after the OAS education component. Additional items assessed students' asthma symptoms, management skills, avoidance of asthma triggers, and school impact. Although asthma management self-efficacy scores declined in middle school among students exposed to the asthma program in elementary school, they remained significantly higher than scores obtained during elementary school prior to the OAS intervention. The results indicate that although students benefited from the asthma program delivered in elementary school, they need booster sessions and continued school support in middle school.

  1. An Advocate for Every Student at Millard Central Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balkus, Beth

    2006-01-01

    Central Middle School, part of the Millard Public School District, is a grade six through eight urban school located in Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha has a metropolitan and surrounding suburban population of approximately one million. Along with approximately 800 students in traditional middle school teams, CMS also offers a Montessori mini-magnet and…

  2. Accelerated Schools as Professional Learning Communities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biddle, Julie K.

    The goal of the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) is to develop schools in which all children achieve at high levels and all members of the school community engage in developing and fulfilling the school's vision. But to fully implement the ASP model, a school must become a learning community that stresses relationships, shared values, and a…

  3. Motivating Middle School Readers: The Graphic Novel Link

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Buffy

    2009-01-01

    Middle school students are not reading for pleasure as frequently as they formally have, due to the influx of video games, cell phones, MP3 players, and other electronic device. This is not even to mention the common stresses of the average middle school student. Current research on reading motivation finds that as children move from upper…

  4. Short Sleep Duration Among Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2015.

    PubMed

    Wheaton, Anne G; Jones, Sherry Everett; Cooper, Adina C; Croft, Janet B

    2018-01-26

    Insufficient sleep among children and adolescents is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, attention and behavior problems, and poor academic performance (1-4). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has recommended that, for optimal health, children aged 6-12 years should regularly sleep 9-12 hours per 24 hours and teens aged 13-18 years should sleep 8-10 hours per 24 hours (1). CDC analyzed data from the 2015 national, state, and large urban school district Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBSs) to determine the prevalence of short sleep duration (<9 hours for children aged 6-12 years and <8 hours for teens aged 13-18 years) on school nights among middle school and high school students in the United States. In nine states that conducted the middle school YRBS and included a question about sleep duration in their questionnaire, the prevalence of short sleep duration among middle school students was 57.8%, with state-level estimates ranging from 50.2% (New Mexico) to 64.7% (Kentucky). The prevalence of short sleep duration among high school students in the national YRBS was 72.7%. State-level estimates of short sleep duration for the 30 states that conducted the high school YRBS and included a question about sleep duration in their questionnaire ranged from 61.8% (South Dakota) to 82.5% (West Virginia). The large percentage of middle school and high school students who do not get enough sleep on school nights suggests a need for promoting sleep health in schools and at home and delaying school start times to permit students adequate time for sleep.

  5. Transforming High-Poverty Urban Middle Schools into Strong Learning Institutions: Lessons from the First Five Years of the Talent Development Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balfanz, Robert; Mac Iver, Doug

    2000-01-01

    Two developers of the Talent Development Middle School model discuss 10 lessons from implementing, refining, and evaluating this model in 5 high-poverty middle schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and describe obstacles encountered and breakthroughs experienced in developing the knowledge base, materials, and infrastructure of the model. (SLD)

  6. Looking Forward to High School and College: Middle Grade Indicators of Readiness in Chicago Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allensworth, Elaine M.; Gwynne, Julia A.; Moore, Paul; de la Torre, Marisa

    2014-01-01

    There is a very large population of students who struggle with the transition from the middle grades to high school, raising concerns that high school failures are partially a function of poor middle grade preparation. As a result, middle grade practitioners are grappling with questions about what skills students need to succeed in high school,…

  7. Middle School and High School Students Who Stutter: A Qualitative Investigation of School Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cobb, Tiffany R.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and further understand the ways in which middle school and high school students perceive their school experiences within the school environment. School has an important impact on the social development of children (Milsom, 2006). Learning is not done individually as classrooms are inherently social…

  8. Replacement vs. Renovation: The Reincarnation of Hubble Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogurek, Douglas J.

    2010-01-01

    At the original Hubble Middle School, neither the views (a congested Roosevelt Road and glimpses of downtown Wheaton) nor the century-old facility that offered them was very inspiring. Built at the start of the 20th century, the 250,000-square-foot building was converted from Wheaton Central High School to Hubble Middle School in the early 1980s.…

  9. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1980

    1980-01-01

    Describes equipment, experiments, and activities useful in middle school science instruction, including demonstrating how strong paper can be, the inclined plane illusion, a simplified diet calculation, a magnetic levitator, science with soap bubbles, a model motor and dynamo, and a pocketed sorter for safety glasses. (SK)

  10. Development of a Multidisciplinary Middle School Mathematics Infusion Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russo, Maria; Hecht, Deborah; Burghardt, M. David; Hacker, Michael; Saxman, Laura

    2011-01-01

    The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project "Mathematics, Science, and Technology Partnership" (MSTP) developed a multidisciplinary instructional model for connecting mathematics to science, technology and engineering content areas at the middle school level. Specifically, the model infused mathematics into middle school curriculum…

  11. Exploring Parental Involvement Strategies Utilized by Middle School Interdisciplinary Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robbins, Chris; Searby, Linda

    2013-01-01

    Adolescents present a unique collection of characteristics and challenges which middle school interdisciplinary teams were designed to address. This article describes a research study which explored parental involvement strategies employed by interdisciplinary teaching teams from three very different middle schools: an affluent suburban school, a…

  12. Perceptions of School Experiences during the First Semester of Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buehler, Cheryl; Fletcher, Anne C.; Johnston, Carol; Weymouth, Bridget B.

    2015-01-01

    Symbolic interaction and stage-environment fit theories were used to examine associations between several aspects of the perceived school environment and youths' school-related experiences during the first semester of middle school in a sample of 390 youth living in a southeastern U.S. county. Perceived school environment included learning…

  13. Middle Level Education in Rural Communities: Implications for School Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Douglas D.

    2005-01-01

    Middle level teachers and administrators working in small or rural schools often face unique obstacles in implementing recommended middle level practices. From sharing staff and schedules with other school sites, to inappropriate instructional techniques, to a general lack of understanding of the middle level philosophy, these obstacles can be a…

  14. Helping Middle School Girls at Risk for School Failure Recover Their Confidence and Achieve School Success: An Experimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mann, Michael J.

    2013-01-01

    Middle school girls who are at risk have experienced a disproportionate number of intense and disruptive traumatic life events. Such events can adversely affect healthy development and often contribute to higher levels of school failure and problem behavior. Few programs focus on helping at-risk middle school girls achieve school success through…

  15. RTI in Middle School Classrooms: Proven Tools and Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esteves, Kelli J.; Whitten, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    "RTI in Middle School Classrooms" provides practical, research-based instructional techniques and interventions--geared especially to middle school teachers and administrators--that target and address specific needs of individual students. Response to intervention allows educators to assess and meet the needs of struggling students…

  16. Association of being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents.

    PubMed

    Bhatta, Madhav P; Shakya, Sunita; Jefferis, Eric

    2014-11-01

    This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents. Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey instrument, 2 cross-sectional surveys were conducted among middle school adolescents (N = 1082) in a rural Appalachian county in Ohio in 2009 and 2012. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning. Overall, a total of 468 participants (43.1%) reported ever being bullied in school, and 22.3% and 13.2% of the adolescents surveyed reported suicide ideation and planning, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, ever being bullied in school was significantly associated with both suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-3.5) and planning (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6-3.8). The results show a strong association between being bullied in school and suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents. Prevention of bullying in school as early as in middle school should be a strategy for reducing suicide ideation and planning among adolescents. © 2014, American School Health Association.

  17. Student Perceptions of the Transition from Elementary to Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akos, Patrick

    2002-01-01

    This study sought to learn more about student perceptions during the transition from elementary to middle school. In response to students' concerns, it is suggested that school counselors implement preventive or proactive programming to assist students with the elementary to middle school transition. (Contains 22 references.) (GCP)

  18. A Special Report on Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hollifield, John H.

    1988-01-01

    The first Center for Research on Elementary and Middle Schools (CREM) report describes the structures and practices currently used at all school levels for staffing, grouping, and scheduling. The report assesses the effects of departmentalization, tracking, ability grouping, and grade spans on student learning and development. (MLH)

  19. Coaching versus Direct Service Models for University Training to Accelerated Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirby, Peggy C.; Meza, James, Jr.

    This paper examines the changing roles and relationships of schools, central offices, and university facilitators at 11 schools that implemented the nationally recognized Accelerated Schools process. The schools joined the Louisiana Accelerated Schools Network in the summer of 1994. The paper begins with an overview of the Accelerated Schools…

  20. Unfinished but Not yet Exhausted: A Review of Australian Middle Schooling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prosser, Brenton

    2008-01-01

    The state of Middle Schooling in many Western countries has been described as under threat, at a crossroads and like a wasteland. Within Australia, it has also been claimed that the past generation focus on Middle Schooling is unfinished and exhausted. But a Middle Schooling movement continues in Australia that provides examples of a way out of a…

  1. Operationalization of a Frame of Reference for Studying Organizational Culture in Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniel, Larry G.

    A frame of reference for studying culture in middle schools was developed. Items for the Middle School Description Survey (MSDS), which was designed to test elements of the ideal middle school culture, were created based on middle school advocacy literature. The items were conceptually categorized according to E. H. Schein's (1985) cultural…

  2. Perceptions about interpersonal relationships and school environment among middle school students with asthma.

    PubMed

    Rhee, Hyekyun; McQuillan, Brenda; Chen, Ding-Geng; Atis, Shannska

    2017-11-01

    To examine interpersonal relationships involving peers and teachers and perceptions about school environment among middle school students with asthma in comparison to their healthy counterparts. The study also assesses asthma prevalence in a large sample of middle school students representing different geographic locations. Cross-sectional data were collected from 1059 middle school students in grades 6-8 enrolled in schools in a northeastern region of the United States. Students reported their chronic health conditions including asthma and completed questionnaires measuring perceptions about their relationships with peers and teachers as well as school environment. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to compare students with asthma and their healthy counterparts in the study variables. Asthma was reported by 16.5% of the sample (n = 169). The rate was higher among minority students (23%) than their white counterparts (15%). Greater proportion of urban students (28%) reported asthma than rural (18%) and suburban (14%) students. Students with asthma reported significantly poorer relationships with peers (B = -1.74, p <.001) and teachers (B = -1.41, p =.009), and their perceptions about overall school environment (B = -1.30, p =.009) were also lower than their healthy counterparts. Race showed no significant effects on school factors. Overall asthma prevalence was substantially higher than the national average of adolescent asthma, particularly those residing in the urban area. Poor perceptions of interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers among students with asthma may indicate compromised quality of life. Suboptimal interpersonal relationships and school environment need to be identified and adequately addressed, given their implications for asthma management at the school setting among middle school students.

  3. Injecting Computational Thinking into Computing Activities for Middle School Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Heidi Cornelia

    2013-01-01

    Advances in technology have caused high schools to update their computer science curricula; however there has been little analogous attention to technology-related education in middle schools. With respect to computer-related knowledge and skills, middle school students are at a critical phase in life, exploring individualized education options…

  4. Cyberbullying: What Middle School Students Want You to Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burnham, J. J.; Wright, V. H.

    2012-01-01

    Cyberbullying is a growing concern because youth are technologically savvy. Much is to be learned about this pervasive phenomenon, especially during the middle school years when cyberbullying often peaks. This focus group study examined cyberbullying attitudes, beliefs, and opinions among middle school students in Alabama and describes…

  5. Teacher Perspectives on Career-Relevant Curriculum in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akos, Patrick; Charles, Pajarita; Orthner, Dennis; Cooley, Valerie

    2011-01-01

    Relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory all describe the curriculum desirable in middle school (National Middle School Association, 2010). Career-relevant curriculum is one prominent strategy used since the 1970s to achieve these goals. Systematic, integrated, and contemporary efforts at career education often engage core teachers who…

  6. Life Satisfaction and Violent Behaviors among Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valois, Robert F.; Paxton, Raheem J.; Zullig, Keith J.; Huebner, E. Scott

    2006-01-01

    We explored relationships between violent behaviors and perceived life satisfaction among 2,138 middle school students in a southern state using the CDC Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (MSYRBS) and the Brief Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS). Logistic regression analyses and multivariate models constructed…

  7. Social Studies in the Middle School: A Report of the Task Force on Social Studies in the Middle School. Position Statement & Guidelines.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council for the Social Studies, Washington, DC.

    This task force report is designed to focus attention on the young adolescent learner and provide direction for developing appropriate and meaningful social studies instruction for the middle school. Schools at the middle level characteristically focus on the unique developmental needs of young adolescents. A number of these needs are listed, in…

  8. Middle School Student Attitudes about School Drinking Fountains and Water Intake

    PubMed Central

    Patel, Anisha I.; Bogart, Laura M.; Klein, David J.; Cowgill, Burt; Uyeda, Kimberly E.; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Schuster, Mark A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Describe middle school student attitudes about school drinking fountains, investigate whether such attitudes are associated with intentions to drink water at school, and determine how intentions relate to overall water intake. Methods Students (n=3,211) in 9 California middle schools completed surveys between 2009–2011. We used multivariate linear regression, adjusting for school sociodemographic characteristics, to examine how attitudes about fountains (5-point scale; higher scores indicating more positive attitudes) were associated with intentions to drink water at school and how intentions to drink water at school were related to overall water intake. Results Mean age of students was 12.3 (SD=0.7) years; 75% were Latino, 89% low-income, and 39% foreign-born. Fifty-two percent reported lower than recommended overall water intake (<3 glasses/day), and 30% reported that they were unlikely or extremely unlikely to drink water at school. Fifty-nine percent reported that school fountains were unclean, 48% that fountain water does not taste good, 33% that fountains could make them sick, 31% that it was not okay to drink from fountains, and 24% that fountain water is contaminated. In adjusted analyses, attitudes about school drinking fountains were related to intentions to drink water at school (B=0.41; p-value <0.001); intentions to drink water at school were also associated with overall water intake (B=0.20; p-value <0.001). Conclusions and Relevance Students have negative attitudes about school fountains. To increase overall water intake, it may be important to promote and improve drinking water sources not only at school, but also at home and in other community environments. What’s New Although most schools provide water via fountains, little is known about student attitudes about fountains. In this study, middle school students had negative attitudes about fountains; such attitudes were associated with lower intentions to drink water at school. PMID

  9. Girls in Foster Care: Risk and Promotive Factors for School Adjustment Across the Transition to Middle School.

    PubMed

    Pears, Katherine C; Kim, Hyoun K; Leve, Leslie D

    2012-01-01

    Girls in foster care may face difficulties across the transition to middle school. Latent growth curve modeling was employed to examine trajectories and predictors of academic competence and aggression from and against peers for 75 girls in foster care from the end of elementary school to the 2(nd) year of middle school. Across the transition to middle school, academic competence increased. Poor self-regulation was associated with decreased academic competence, and higher caregiver support was associated with increased academic competence. Frequency of aggression from peers decreased across the transition, with perceived school competence predicting smaller decreases. Aggression against peers dropped initially and then increased to pretransition levels by the end of the 2(nd) year of middle school. Lower caregiver support was associated with higher rates of aggression against peers at the end of the 1(st) year of middle school. The results are discussed in terms of implications for interventions for girls in foster care.

  10. Girls in Foster Care: Risk and Promotive Factors for School Adjustment Across the Transition to Middle School

    PubMed Central

    Pears, Katherine C.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Leve, Leslie D.

    2011-01-01

    Girls in foster care may face difficulties across the transition to middle school. Latent growth curve modeling was employed to examine trajectories and predictors of academic competence and aggression from and against peers for 75 girls in foster care from the end of elementary school to the 2nd year of middle school. Across the transition to middle school, academic competence increased. Poor self-regulation was associated with decreased academic competence, and higher caregiver support was associated with increased academic competence. Frequency of aggression from peers decreased across the transition, with perceived school competence predicting smaller decreases. Aggression against peers dropped initially and then increased to pretransition levels by the end of the 2nd year of middle school. Lower caregiver support was associated with higher rates of aggression against peers at the end of the 1st year of middle school. The results are discussed in terms of implications for interventions for girls in foster care. PMID:22389543

  11. School Attachment Theory and Restitution Processes: Promoting Positive Behaviors in Middle Years Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penner, Christine; Wallin, Dawn

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the findings of a case study that examined school attachment and restitution strategies used in a middle years school to determine if the program had provided a viable means of promoting and sustaining positive behaviors among middle years students. Data were gathered by interviewing five teachers who had Restitution I training…

  12. The Fate of Teaching Constitutional Principles to Middle School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolf, Alvin

    1990-01-01

    Advocates teaching constitutional history and principles to middle school students in accordance with the 1988 California History-Social Science Framework. Reports findings of a survey of 118 California middle school and high school teachers that revealed a need for improved teacher knowledge about the U.S. Constitution. Recommends steps to ensure…

  13. Progress Monitoring in Middle School Mathematics: Options and Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foegen, Anne

    2008-01-01

    This study investigated the technical features of six potential progress-monitoring measures in mathematics appropriate for use at the middle school level, including two commercially available measures for sixth-grade mathematics, two measures used in previous middle school studies, and two new measures of numeracy concepts. Five hundred…

  14. Bullying and Symptoms of Depression in Chilean Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Lila C.; Jacobsen, Kathryn H.

    2009-01-01

    Background: The goal of this study was to assess the association between bullying and symptoms of depression among middle school students in Chile. Methods: Secondary data analysis of Chile's 2004 Global School-Based Health Survey. Results: A total of 8131 middle school students participated in the study. Forty-seven percent of students reported…

  15. Urban Middle School Students' Perceptions of Bullying, Cyberbullying, and School Safety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varjas, Kris; Henrich, Christopher C.; Meyers, Joel

    2009-01-01

    This study examined 427 urban middle school students' perceptions of bullying, cyberbullying, and school safety utilizing the Student Survey of Bullying Behavior-Revised 2 (Varjas, Meyers, & Hunt, 2006). A unique finding is that cyberbullying may represent a unique modality of victimization and bullying compared with other school-based…

  16. Predicting Middle School Students' Use of Web 2.0 Technologies out of School Using Home and School Technological Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Joan E.; Read, Michelle F.; Jones, Sara; Mahometa, Michael

    2015-01-01

    This study used multiple regression to identify predictors of middle school students' Web 2.0 activities out of school, a construct composed of 15 technology activities. Three middle schools participated, where sixth- and seventh-grade students completed a questionnaire. Independent predictor variables included three demographic and five computer…

  17. Orientation to Middle School: A Guidance Play.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Childress, Natalie Wilson

    1982-01-01

    Presents a play that gives elementary school students a lighthearted but informative overview of middle school life. The play presents information about curriculum, lockers, physical education, materials, and classwork. Notes student reactions to the presentation. (RC)

  18. Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Newsletter 34, The Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, George M.

    Reported are guidelines which are the outgrowth of six conferences on the teaching of life science in the middle school. The membership of each conference was by invitation consisting of experienced middle school science teachers, biologists from universities, the BSCS staff, and observers. The guidelines were developed to provide direction in…

  19. The Peril of Ignoring Middle School Student Speech Rights

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hassenpflug, Ann

    2016-01-01

    Analysis of two recent federal court cases in which principals violated student speech rights offers guidance to middle school administrators as they attempt to address student expression. Characteristics of a successful school from the Association for Middle Level Education provide a framework for analyzing these cases in order to prevent…

  20. Disciplinary Literacy in the Middle School: Exploring Pedagogical Tensions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Abbey C. K.; Kerkhoff, Shea N.; Spires, Hiller A.

    2017-01-01

    The present study examined middle school teachers' perceptions of literacy demands in their disciplines and specific literacy strategies they used to teach their disciplines. The eight participants in this multiple case study included 2 middle school teachers from each of 4 disciplines (i.e., English/language arts, science, social studies, and…

  1. Final Environmental Assessment: Replace Hanscom AFB Middle School

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-04-01

    term impacts on wastewater facilities are anticipated during the demolition/construction of the Middle School. Portable toilets may be available for...7.14. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 7-18 SECTION 8. MEASURES TO REDUCE POTENTIAL FOR IMPACT 8-1 SECTION 9. CONSULTATION LETTERS, EMAILS, AND PUBLIC NOTICE 9-1...U.S. Air Force April 2012 1 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Name of Action: Replace Hanscom AFB Middle School Hanscom Air Force Base

  2. The Effects of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support on Middle School Climate and Student Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caldarella, Paul; Shatzer, Ryan H.; Gray, Kristy M.; Young, K. Richard; Young, Ellie L.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) on middle school climate and student outcomes. Data consisted of more than 300 teacher responses and 10,000 student responses in two middle schools in the western United States. This study used a quasi-experimental (non-equivalent two-group, pretest-posttest)…

  3. Middle School Student Records as Dropout Indicators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gregg, William Sherman

    2010-01-01

    Dropping out of school is associated with a wide array of negative outcomes and the extraordinarily high United States dropout rate has brought the issue to the forefront of American education. This study investigated normally collected middle school data from a suburban Colorado school district to determine the predictive value toward students…

  4. [Frequency of use of school cafeterias in middle and high schools in 3 French districts].

    PubMed

    Michaud, C; Feur, E; Gerbouin-Rérolle, P; Leynaud-Rouaud, C; Chateil, S; Gourdon, M

    2000-09-01

    Reports from the French Ministry of Education warn of a decrease in the use of school food services, especially in sensitive urban areas. They also suggest that this decline has led to cases of malnutrition. This article describes the characteristics of the current supply of school meals and measures the evolution of demand observed between 1992 and 1996 in relation to the economic situation of students' families. The study was carried out in 3 departments in France: Doubs, Herault, and Val de Marne. The administrators of all public and private middle and high schools in the 3 departments received a questionnaire asking them to describe the services offered in their cafeterias and to provide the corresponding statistical and accounting data. External food services near the schools were also taken into account. Seventy-nine percent of schools responded to the survey. Concerning the services offered, 91% of schools have their own cafeterias, of which 81% are managed by the schools. Concerning the evolution of utilisation, a significant decrease in the number of meals served in seen in middle schools. On the other hand, high schools have observed stable utilisation. The positive changes in utilisation are linked, in middle schools, to characteristics of the schools' internal food services (self-service, choice of main courses, modulation of seats). In high schools, positive changes in the utilisation of school services are linked to the lack of external food services near the schools. As middle schools and high schools control the logistics and management of food services offered to students, they are potentially in a position to influence a policy on this issue. The evolution in utilisation is very different among departments and between middle and high schools. While economic precariousness has a negative structural effect on utilisation, it doesn't seem to be a major factor in the evolution of the decrease observed over the past few years.

  5. Body Power! School-Based Weight Management for Middle School Adolescents. Leader's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dennee, Phyllis M.; And Others

    This leader's manual contains the materials required to present a school-based weight management curriculum that may be offered both in school and outside the school setting for middle-school adolescents. The first section contains instructor information regarding the following topics: need for the program; program objectives; timeline and…

  6. Middle School Deaf Students' Problem-Solving Behaviors and Strategy Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, ChongMin

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to describe and understand the ways in which deaf middle school students understood and solved compare word problems, and to examine their overall strategy use in learning mathematics. The participants in the study were deaf middle school students, attending a residential state school for the deaf. Most of them used…

  7. Development of the Spatial Ability Test for Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yildiz, Sevda Göktepe; Özdemir, Ahmet Sükrü

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a test to determine spatial ability of middle school students. The participants were 704 middle school students (6th, 7th and 8th grade) who were studying at different schools from Istanbul. Item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis were used to analyse the data.…

  8. Investigating Indian Elementary and Middle School Students' Images of Designers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ara, Farhat; Natarajan, Chitra

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents an investigation into Indian elementary and middle school students' images of designers. A "Draw a designer at work" test was used with 511 students from Classes 5 to 9 from a school located in Mumbai. Findings from the study indicate that Indian elementary and middle school students, who had no experience in design…

  9. Leadership in Middle Level Education. Volume I: A National Survey of Middle Level Leaders and Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valentine, Jerry W.; And Others

    The National Association of Secondary School Principals periodically studies practices and characteristics of secondary schools to help inform educators and shape policy. Such studies of middle-level education were conducted in 1966 and 1981. As middle-level education moved into the 1990s, many new questions about education and leadership needed…

  10. Differences in Middle School Science Achievement by School District Size

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mann, Matthew James; Maxwell, Gerri M.; Holland, Glenda

    2013-01-01

    This study examined differences in Texas middle school student achievement in science by school district enrollment size. Quantitative research utilized analysis of variance to determine whether significant differences existed between student achievement on the 2010 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 8th grade science results and four school…

  11. Coping with Verbal and Social Bullying in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donoghue, Christopher; Almeida, Angela; Brandwein, David; Rocha, Gabriela; Callahan, Ian

    2014-01-01

    Becoming a victim of verbal and social bullying in middle school can lead to illness, psychological stress, and maladjustment. The coping strategies that students utilize when they are bullied may influence the likelihood and severity of these negative effects. In this study, we examined the predictions made by students in two middle schools about…

  12. An Examination of Middle School Counselors' Comfort with Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roddy, Patricia Christina

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to investigate the differences in comfort with technology in middle school counselors in South Carolina. The researcher's goal was to determine the effects of years of experience, technology training, gender, and age on middle school counselors' comfort with technology. After a review of literature, it has been…

  13. Moving Middle Schooling Reform from Policy to Practice: Issues for Queensland Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bryer, Fiona; Main, Katherine

    2005-01-01

    Three well-established issues for educational reform to insert middle schooling into the traditional primary-secondary tiers are (a) lack of preservice training of specialist middle school teachers, (b) the absence of clear positive educational outcomes linked to the promotion of middle schooling policy as a philosophy of teaching, and (c) the ad…

  14. Box Cello Middle School Science Clubs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vandegrift, Guy

    1998-10-01

    The Box Cello is a middle school science club which is attempting to (1) understand the cello and (2) design a low-cost starter instrument. We can support and justify this research by adding a third goal: (3) to help supply local science classes with equipment. My policy of spending one entire day each week away from the university, out in a local school is essential to this project. This schedule also permits me to conduct lessons on optics and music in the schools. And, it permits circulation of tools and equipment. A simple calculation demonstrates the great economy achieved by combining science clubs with academic year school visits. Consider the cost of letting 10,000 students in 10 middle schools each learn about and play with a pair of "upside-down" glasses for one hour. A visit to each school for three consecutive weeks would easily permit such a circulation if only 30 pairs were constructed. Assume rhetorically, that the construction of 30 pairs of glasses were to consume the entire estimated annual budget of $100,000. The cost per student would be only ten dollars! The visits, guest lectures, and equipment loans permit informal networking (including lunch) with math, science and music teachers in 10 schools. For more information, visit the http://www.utep.edu/boxcello/

  15. Improving Social Competence in a Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levinsohn, Mary; Klyap, John M.

    This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a social competence promotion program conducted in the sixth grade of a middle school. The need to increase social competence within the school arose from the results of enumerative and stakeholder data collected at the school. This paper outlines the steps of the needs assessment, program…

  16. A-Okay: A Middle School Advisory Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Bonnie

    This guide presents an advisory program for middle schools. The program is designed for groups of 10 to 15 students meeting twice a week; the advisors should be adults from within the school (teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, etc.). The program has four goals: (1) to promote students' sense of belonging within the school; (2) to…

  17. Impact of an Immunization Education Program on Middle School Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glik, Deborah; Macpherson, Fiona; Todd, Wendy; Stone, Kathleen; Ang, Alfonso; Jones, Marcy Connell

    2004-01-01

    Objectives : To raise middle school student awareness, attitudes, and proactive behaviors about immunization, and to increase immunization rates among middle school students through implementation of a comprehensive integrated immunization promotion curriculum ( Immunization Plus! ) Methods: Evaluation used a quasi-experimental non-equivalent…

  18. A Program Review of a Middle School Gay-Straight Alliance Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quasha, Scott; McCabe, Paul C.; Ortiz, Samuel O.

    2014-01-01

    This program review examined a middle school Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club within a northeastern suburban school situated in a large metropolitan area. The GSA was the first in the region to start exclusively in a standalone middle school. The review was accomplished through a staff survey comparing school climates for lesbian, gay, bisexual,…

  19. Deferred but Not Deterred: A Middle School Manifesto

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lounsbury, John H.

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the author provides a historical perspective on the middle level movement, examines its past successes and failures, and envisions future improvements. The middle school movement has been a prime target for those forces that do not share the belief middle level advocates hold about the importance of a democratic, student-centered…

  20. Head impact exposure in youth football: middle school ages 12-14 years.

    PubMed

    Daniel, Ray W; Rowson, Steven; Duma, Stefan M

    2014-09-01

    The head impact exposure experienced by football players at the college and high school levels has been well documented; however, there are limited data regarding youth football despite its dramatically larger population. The objective of this study was to investigate head impact exposure in middle school football. Impacts were monitored using a commercially available accelerometer array installed inside the helmets of 17 players aged 12-14 years. A total of 4678 impacts were measured, with an average (±standard deviation) of 275 ± 190 impacts per player. The average of impact distributions for each player had a median impact of 22 ± 2 g and 954 ± 122 rad/s², and a 95th percentile impact of 54 ± 9 g and 2525 ± 450 rad/s². Similar to the head impact exposure experienced by high school and collegiate players, these data show that middle school football players experience a greater number of head impacts during games than practices. There were no significant differences between median and 95th percentile head acceleration magnitudes experienced during games and practices; however, a larger number of impacts greater than 80 g occurred during games than during practices. Impacts to the front and back of the helmet were most common. Overall, these data are similar to high school and college data that have been collected using similar methods. These data have applications toward youth football helmet design, the development of strategies designed to limit head impact exposure, and child-specific brain injury criteria.

  1. The Middle School Curriculum: Engineering Anyone?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samuels, Kyle; Seymour, Richard

    2015-01-01

    Engineering programs have long thrived in U.S. universities. More recently, engineering content has been introduced in America's high schools, yet less so in elementary and middle schools across the nation. To meet the demand for engineers in the U.S., educators must play a more active role in inspiring young students to this career option.…

  2. Laptops Unleashed A Middle School Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Livingston, Pamela

    2004-01-01

    The day starts. Students arrive in their parents' cars, climb out, and carry or wheel backpacks in a morning scene similar to most independent day schools in the country. But there's a difference--the older students are carrying metal briefcases. The briefcases, bright silver and durable-looking, carry the clear marks of middle school ownership as…

  3. Social Groups in the Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lockledge, Ann

    In a study investigating whether middle school students can identify their own social groups, over 200 sixth- and seventh-graders were asked to name the kinds of groups to which they thought students in their school belonged, and to explain or define the groups. Data indicated that the students seemed to have no trouble in agreeing on certain…

  4. The Relationships among School Types, Teacher Efficacy Beliefs, and Academic Climate: Perspective from Asian Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chong, Wan Har; Klassen, Robert M.; Huan, Vivien S.; Wong, Isabella; Kates, Allison Diane

    2010-01-01

    The authors explored how prior student achievement, through school types, predicted teacher self- and collective efficacy and perceived academic climate of 222 middle school teachers in Singapore. Teachers assigned to high-track and regular middle schools differed in their perception of self- and collective efficacy to promote organizational…

  5. Media Production at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matsunaga, Kevin

    2005-01-01

    In this article, the author describes how he got his start in video production as a high school senior in 1987 and his work 11 years after as a technology coordinator at Lehua Elementary School in Pearl City, Hawaii. Two years later he changed positions and became the technology coordinator at a brand new middle school on Kauai--Chiefess…

  6. Smokey Road Middle School: Striving to Reach and Motivate Each Child

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This article features Smokey Road Middle School, a Title I school serving 850 middle level students in grades 6-8. The school is located on the outskirts of Newnan, Georgia, a historic city of approximately 27,000 residents. The growth and development of the Coweta County School District is largely attributed to its close proximity to Atlanta. In…

  7. The Evolution of Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Paul S.

    2001-01-01

    Over the past 30 years, Florida's 500 middle schools have become more sizeable, racially segregated, and security conscious. Other features include interdisciplinary team organization, warring curricula, block schedules, integrated technology, inclusion, ability grouping, corporate practices, and female and minority principals committed to…

  8. Peer Connectedness in the Middle School Band Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rawlings, Jared R.; Stoddard, Sarah A.

    2017-01-01

    Previous research suggests that students participating in school-based musical ensembles are more engaged in school and more likely to connect to their peers in school; however, researchers have not specifically investigated peer connectedness among adolescents in school-based music ensembles. The purpose of this study was to explore middle school…

  9. Examination of the Attitudes of Middle School Students towards Social Media

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulu, Sanser; Numanoglu, Mustafa; Keser, Hafize

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to identify middle school students` general attitudes towards social media. Participants of this descriptive study were middle school students from three public schools (n = 367) in Ankara. Data was collected using "Demographic Information Form" and "Social Media Attitudes Survey for Students" developed by…

  10. Association of Being Bullied in School with Suicide Ideation and Planning among Rural Middle School Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhatta, Madhav P.; Shakya, Sunita; Jefferis, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Background: This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents. Methods: Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior…

  11. Impacts of a University-School Partnership on Middle School Students' Fractional Knowledge: A Quasiexperimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aydin, Utkun; Tunç-Pekkan, Zelha; Taylan, Rukiye Didem; Birgili, Bengi; Özcan, Mustafa

    2018-01-01

    In this quasiexperimental study, the authors investigated the effects of university within school partnership model, within which faculty members acted as teacher-researchers to improve fractional knowledge among middle school (Grades 5-8) students. Students in nine Grade 6 mathematics classes from two public middle schools in Turkey were assigned…

  12. Exploring strategies to promote middle school student participation in the school breakfast program

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Providing a school breakfast to students may be a practical intervention that improves energy balance, nutrient intake, and school academic achievement variables. The purpose of this pilot study was to identify the ecological factors influencing middle school student school breakfast participation a...

  13. Latino Students' Transition to Middle School: Role of Bilingual Education and School Ethnic Context.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Jan N; Im, MyungHee; Kwok, Oi-Man; Cham, Heining; West, Stephen G

    2015-09-01

    Participants were 204 academically at-risk Latino students recruited into a study when in first grade and followed for 9 years. Using piecewise latent growth curve analyses, we investigated trajectories of teacher-rated behavioral engagement and student-reported school belonging during elementary school and middle school and the association between trajectories and enrollment in bilingual education classes in elementary school and a change in school ethnic congruence across the transition to middle school. Overall, students experienced a drop in school belonging and behavioral engagement across the transition. A moderating effect of ethnic congruence on bilingual enrollment was found. A decline in ethnic congruence was associated with more positive trajectories for students previously enrolled in bilingual classes but more negative trajectories for non-bilingual students.

  14. Latino Students' Transition to Middle School: Role of Bilingual Education and School Ethnic Context

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, Jan N.; Im, MyungHee; Kwok, Oi-man; Cham, Heining; West, Stephen G.

    2014-01-01

    Participants were 204 academically at-risk Latino students recruited into a study when in first grade and followed for 9 years. Using piecewise latent growth curve analyses, we investigated trajectories of teacher-rated behavioral engagement and student-reported school belonging during elementary school and middle school and the association between trajectories and enrollment in bilingual education classes in elementary school and a change in school ethnic congruence across the transition to middle school. Overall, students experienced a drop in school belonging and behavioral engagement across the transition. A moderating effect of ethnic congruence on bilingual enrollment was found. A decline in ethnic congruence was associated with more positive trajectories for students previously enrolled in bilingual classes but more negative trajectories for non-bilingual students. PMID:26347591

  15. School Lunch Waste among Middle School Students: Implications for Nutrients Consumed and Food Waste Costs

    PubMed Central

    Cohen, Juliana F.W.; Richardson, Scott; Austin, S. Bryn; Economos, Christina D.; Rimm, Eric B.

    2013-01-01

    Background The National School Lunch Program has been guided by modest nutrient standards, and the palatability of meals, which drives consumption, receives inadequate attention. School food waste can have important nutritional and cost implications for policy makers, students, and their families. Purpose Nutrient losses and economic costs associated with school meal waste were examined. The study also assessed if school foods served were valid proxies for foods consumed by students. Methods Plate waste measurements were collected from middle school students in Boston attending two Chef Initiative schools (n=1609) and two control schools (n=1440) during a two-year pilot study (2007-2009) where a professional chef trained cafeteria staff to make healthier school meals. The costs associated with food waste were calculated and the percent of foods consumed was compared with a gold standard of 85% consumption. Analyses were conducted in 2010-2011. Results Overall, students consumed less than the required/recommended levels of nutrients. An estimated $432,349 of food (26.1% of the total food budget) was discarded by middle school students annually at lunch in Boston middle schools. For most meal components, significantly less than 85% was consumed. Conclusions There is substantial food waste among middle school students in Boston. Overall, students' nutrient consumption levels were below school meal standards and foods served were not valid proxies for foods consumed. The costs associated with discarded foods are high; if translated nationally for school lunches, roughly $1,238,846,400 annually is wasted. Students would benefit if additional focus was given to the quality and palatability of school meals. PMID:23332326

  16. Fostering a Developmentally Responsive Middle-to-High School Transition: The Role of Transition Supports

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellerbrock, Cheryl R.; Denmon, Jennifer; Owens, Ruchelle; Lindstrom, Krista

    2015-01-01

    This yearlong qualitative multisite case study investigated ways middle and high school transition supports foster a developmentally responsive transition for students. A total of 23 participants engaged in this study, including 4 students, 4 middle school teachers, 13 high school teachers, 1 middle school principal, and 1 high school principal.…

  17. Mater Academy Charter Middle School: Consistent Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Mater Academy Charter Middle/High School is located in what was once a big box store in a commercial and industrial area of Hialeah Gardens, FL. The same energy that transformed a vacant store into a thriving campus for a grades 6-12 school is apparent in every classroom. Even the mayor of Hialeah Gardens credits the school with helping to…

  18. Middle School Teachers' Views and Approaches to Implement Mathematical Tasks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yesildere-Imre, Sibel; Basturk-Sahin, Burcu Nur

    2016-01-01

    This research examines middle school mathematics teachers' views regarding implementation of mathematical tasks and their enactments. We compare their views on tasks and their implementation, and determine the causes of difference between the two using qualitative research methods. We interview sixteen middle school mathematics teachers based on…

  19. There and Back Again: A Middle Scholar's Inquiry Excursion (Middle School).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katz, Claudia Anne; Johnson-Kuby, Sue Ann

    1996-01-01

    Describes an inquiry project that middle school students complete during the first quarter of the year, and that serves as a foundation for future inquiry undertakings, research papers, and writing workshops. (SR)

  20. Latinos' Changing Ethnic Group Representation From Elementary to Middle School: Perceived Belonging and Academic Achievement.

    PubMed

    Morales-Chicas, Jessica; Graham, Sandra

    2017-09-01

    This study examined the association between change in ethnic group representation from elementary to middle school and Latino students' school belonging and achievement. The ethnic diversity of students' middle school was examined as a moderator. Participants were 1,825 Latino sixth graders from 26 ethnically diverse urban middle schools. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that a change in ethnic representation toward fewer Latinos in middle school than elementary school was related to less perceived belonging and lower achievement in schools with low ethnic diversity. There were no mean differences as a function of declining representation in more diverse middle schools, suggesting that greater school diversity was protective. Findings highlight the importance of examining school ethnic context, especially across the middle school transition. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2016 Society for Research on Adolescence.

  1. The Rationale for the Middle Level School. Practitioner's Monograph No. 9.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lake, Sara

    Almost from the beginning, the junior high school was based on the same vision driving today's middle level schooling: the creation of a unique middle tier of education that bridges the gap between elementary and secondary education and focuses on meeting early adolescent students' academic and personal needs. In the 1950s and 1960s, middle school…

  2. Middle school transition and body weight outcomes: Evidence from Arkansas Public Schoolchildren.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Di; Thomsen, Michael R; Nayga, Rodolfo M; Rouse, Heather L

    2016-05-01

    There is evidence that middle school transition adversely affects educational and psychological outcomes of pre-teen children, but little is known about the impacts of middle school transition on other aspects of health. In this article, we estimate the impact of middle school transition on the body mass index (BMI) of public schoolchildren in Arkansas, United States. Using an instrumental variable approach, we find that middle school transition in grade 6 led to a moderate decrease of 0.04 standard deviations in BMI z-scores for all students. Analysis by subsample indicated that this result was driven by boys (0.06-0.07 standard deviations) and especially by non-minority boys (0.09 standard deviations). We speculate that the changing levels of physical activities associated with middle school transition provide the most reasonable explanation for this result. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Exploring Strategies to Promote Middle School Student Participation in the School Breakfast Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cullen, Karen Weber; Thompson, Deborah I.; Watson, Kathleen B.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: Providing a school breakfast to students may be a practical intervention that improves energy balance, nutrient intake, and school academic achievement variables. This purpose of this pilot study was to identify the ecological factors influencing middle school student school breakfast participation and possible strategies to…

  4. Transitions from Elementary to Middle School Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schielack, Janie; Seeley, Cathy L.

    2010-01-01

    In the move from elementary to middle school mathematics, students encounter major changes in instructional materials and approaches, work expectations, school structure, and general level of difficulty in material. Research shows that, in general, students suffer significant declines in academic achievement in the transition from elementary…

  5. How Engineering Standards Are Interpreted and Translated for Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Judson, Eugene; Ernzen, John; Krause, Stephen; Middleton, James A.; Culbertson, Robert J.

    2016-01-01

    In this exploratory study we examined the alignment of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) middle school engineering design standards with lesson ideas from middle school teachers, science education faculty, and engineering faculty (4-6 members per group). Respondents were prompted to provide plain language interpretations of two middle…

  6. We Gain More Than We Give: Teaming in Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickinson, Thomas S., Ed.; Erb, Thomas O., Ed.

    Despite increases in the number of middle school using interdisciplinary team teaching, many are struggling to articulate a clear defense of their teaming work in light of confounding and conflicting public demands. This compilation examines teaming in middle schools--its characteristics, knowledge base, current concerns and future adaptations.…

  7. Accelerated Schools Centers: How To Address Challenges to Institutionalization and Growth.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meza, James, Jr.

    The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) at the University of New Orleans (UNO) was established in spring 1990, funded by a 3-year grant from Chevron. Beginning with 1 pilot school in 1991, the UNO Accelerated Schools Center has expanded to 36 schools representing 19 school districts in Louisiana and 3 schools from the Memphis City Schools district.…

  8. Coming of Age: Transitioning from Middle School to High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ciminero, Sandra Elser

    2012-01-01

    To celebrate a milestone in eighth-graders' lives--leaving middle school and moving on to high school--the author assigns them the "Coming of Age" project, which examines the big idea of identity and promotes the move from self-reflection to self-expression. The project also includes writing components that correspond to each of the nine…

  9. Improving the Success of Middle Grade Students. Middle School Matters Program No. 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Belfanz, Robert; Rodriguez, Gina; Brasiel, Sarah J.

    2013-01-01

    A student's experience in the middle grades is a selection of classes they go through in a day. If they experience inconsistent expectations across those classes, they and the school will struggle to achieve high outcomes. Middle grade students need to have common behavioral and academic expectations, recognitions, and consequences throughout the…

  10. Building Level Administrators' Attitudes toward Teacher Effectiveness at the High School and Middle School Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanson, Nathan K.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the attitudes of administrators about differences and similarities between middle and high school teachers. The research question that guided the study was, "Do attitudes about what makes an effective educator differ between building administrators at the middle and high school levels?" A formal, sequential, mixed-methods…

  11. Middle School Students' Views on the United States Pledge of Allegiance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Leisa A.

    2011-01-01

    Although the United States Pledge of Allegiance is a ritual in many schools, research on middle school students' views about this tradition is limited. Therefore, this grounded theory study included a survey of 100 middle school students on the Pledge with 33 follow-up interviews. Socialization and counter-socialization served as the theoretical…

  12. The Concerns and Attitudes of Early Adolescent Middle School Students in Transition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sierer, Timothy M.; Winfield, Linda F.

    Junior high schools have been blamed for failing to meet the needs of early adolescents. Proponents of the new middle school structure favored moving grade nine to the high school and moving grade five and or six from the elementary school to the new structural organization. The uniqueness of the middle school is in how the philosophy behind this…

  13. Niskey Lake Middle School. Atlanta, Georgia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevens, Preston, Jr.

    1976-01-01

    The proposed Niskey Lake Middle School is designed to have solar heating in half of the building, solar water heating for the entire facility, and solar cooling for the administration area. (Author/MLF)

  14. Reward Sensitivity and Substance Abuse in Middle School and High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Genovese, Jeremy E. C.; Wallace, Deborah

    2007-01-01

    In this study, the authors investigated the relation between reward and punishment sensitivity and adolescent substance use. The sample (N = 216; 130 girls, 85 boys) was drawn from high school and middle school students enrolled in a Midwestern suburban school district. Participants completed a substance use questionnaire and the Sensitivity to…

  15. School-Community Links: Supporting Learning in the Middle Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayes, Debra; Chodkiewicz, Andrew

    2006-01-01

    This paper reports on research into how schools, parents and local communities work together to support students' learning during the transition from primary to secondary schools in what is referred to as the middle years of schooling. The research was conducted in four Australian schools within one urban school district. These schools were…

  16. Learning Physics with Digital Game Simulations in Middle School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Janice L.; Barnett, Mike

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this work is to share our findings in using video gaming technology to facilitate the understanding of basic electromagnetism with middle school students. To this end, we explored the impact of using a game called "Supercharged!" on middle school students' understanding of electromagnetic concepts compared to students…

  17. Cooperative Learning in Middle Schools: Interrelationship of Relationships and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, David W.; Johnson, Roger T.; Roseth, Cary

    2010-01-01

    When students enter middle school, they face 2 major challenges, one involving the biological, cognitive, and socioemotional changes they are going through, and another involving the transition from elementary to middle school. Peer learning has considerable influence on how well they manage these challenges. The research that exists on peer…

  18. Relationship of Middle School Student STEM Interest to Career Intent

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Rhonda; Knezek, Gerald

    2017-01-01

    Understanding middle school students' perceptions regarding STEM dispositions, and the role attitudes play in establishing STEM career aspirations, is imperative to preparing the STEM workforce of the future. Data were gathered from more than 800 middle school students participating in a hands-on, real world application curriculum to examine the…

  19. Decreasing Bullying Behaviors in Middle School: Expect Respect

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nese, Rhonda N. T.; Horner, Robert H.; Dickey, Celeste Rossetto; Stiller, Brianna; Tomlanovich, Anne

    2014-01-01

    A nonconcurrent multiple baseline across 3 middle schools was used to assess the impact that teaching all students to follow the" Bullying and Harassment Prevention in Positive Behavior Support: Expect Respect" intervention had on bullying behaviors. The 3 schools were using School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and…

  20. Stress in Portuguese Middle School Transition: A Multilevel Analysis.

    PubMed

    Coelho, Vítor Alexandre; Romão, Ana Maria

    2016-09-23

    Transition from elementary to middle school is commonly seen as a period of stress, impacting students' school adjustment. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyze the difference in stress levels between the end of 4th grade and 5th grade, while also analyzing gender differences and 5th grade retention. Two hundred fifty-eight 4th grade students (M age = 9.55; SD = 0.77) from six Portuguese public schools, from the municipality of Torres Vedras, participated in this study. Self-report questionnaires were administered at the end of the 4th and 5th grades, and 5th grade school records were also collected. Results showed that 5th graders present higher levels of Academic Stress (d = .29) and Teacher/Rules Stress (d = .28). Girls had a greater increase of Peer-related Stress with the transition (p < .01). Students who were retained at the end of 5th grade showed higher increases of Teacher/Rules Stress (p < .05). Intervention programs that aim to support the transition from elementary to middle school are needed, in order to reduce the increase of stress levels at 5th grade and to promote a better school adjustment in the first year of middle school.

  1. Evaluating Mathematics Achievement of Middle School Students in a Looping Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franz, Dana Pomykal; Thompson, Nicole L.; Fuller, Bob; Hare, R. Dwight; Miller, Nicole C.; Walker, Jacob

    2010-01-01

    Looping, a school structure where students remain with one group of teachers for two or more school years, is used by middle schools to meet the diverse needs of young adolescents. However, little research exists on how looping effects the academic performance of students. This study was designed to determine if looping influenced middle school…

  2. Vallecito Middle School's Educational Television.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dixie Elementary School District, San Rafael, CA.

    Vallecito Middle School in San Rafael (California) has been using video production techniques since 1981, and the staff has observed many positive changes in learning, attitudes, and behavior resulting from the use of television. Videotaping has facilitated learning in science, physical education, English, and social studies classes. Guest experts…

  3. Piaget and Middle School Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juraschek, William

    1983-01-01

    This discussion is primarily designed to increase teachers' awareness of Piaget's theory of cognitive development and implications for mathematics in the middle school. It is hoped such awareness will compel instructors to adopt strategies that help pupils gain more from mathematical experiences, by providing impetus for innovation and…

  4. Twelve Middle-School Teachers' Planning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Deborah Sardo

    1988-01-01

    Case studies described 12 middle-school teachers' instructional yearly, unit, weekly, and daily planning on the basis of a background questionnaire, interview protocols, an analysis of written plans, think-aloud typescripts, and a questionnaire. A process model best characterized teachers long-term planning, while an agenda-formulation model fit…

  5. Cognitive Development Effects of Teaching Probabilistic Decision Making to Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mjelde, James W.; Litzenberg, Kerry K.; Lindner, James R.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the comprehension and effectiveness of teaching formal, probabilistic decision-making skills to middle school students. Two specific objectives were to determine (1) if middle school students can comprehend a probabilistic decision-making approach, and (2) if exposure to the modeling approaches improves middle school…

  6. Urban Middle School African American Girls' Attitudes toward Physical Education and Out-of-School Physical Activity Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramsey, Victor

    2012-01-01

    The purposes of this two-part study were (1) to investigate urban middle school African American girls' physical activity levels and their relationships to attitudes and, (2) to explore urban middle school African American girls' attitude toward physical education. A total of (N = 649) African American girls from 14 New York City middle schools…

  7. Middle School Students' Perceptions of the Quality of School Life in Ankara

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eres, Figen; Bilasa, Pinar

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research is to measure the perception of middle school students in Ankara regarding the quality of school life. According to the findings obtained, the students have moderate level perceptions about the quality of school life. Their perceptions about sub-dimensions vary. While the students have the highest perceptions about…

  8. Career Counseling in Middle Schools: A Study of School Counselor Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanders, Carrie; Welfare, Laura E.; Culver, Steve

    2017-01-01

    Students in K-12 schools benefit from career counseling as a means to improve their readiness for academic and career success. This quantitative study explored the career counseling self-efficacy of 143 practicing middle school counselors using the Career Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale-Modified and a subscale of the School Counselor Self-Efficacy…

  9. It's Not Just in High School--Agriculture Education in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibbs, Hope J.

    2005-01-01

    Traditionally, students have been strongly encouraged at the high school level to consider careers and choose courses that would fortify occupations of interest. Today, administrators and educators across the nation realize that developing students' interest must be addressed earlier--at the middle school level. Agriculture educators believe this…

  10. Exploring Korean Middle School Students' View about Scientific Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Il-Ho; Park, Sang-Woo; Shin, Jung-Yun; Lim, Sung-Man

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine Korean middle school students' view about scientific inquiry with the Views about Scientific Inquiry (VASI) questionnaire, an instrument that deals with eight aspects of scientific inquiry. 282 Korean middle school students participated in this study, and their responses were classified as informed, mixed, and…

  11. Middle School Students' Motivation for Learning Technology in South Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwon, Hyuksoo

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to develop a feasible instrument for determining middle school students' motivation to learn technology in South Korea. The authors translated Glynn's motivational instrument and modified it to measure Korean middle school students' motivation to learn technology. The instrument was applied to 441 students of grade 8 and 9 from six…

  12. Middle School Students' Statistical Literacy: Role of Grade Level and Gender

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yolcu, Ayse

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the role of gender and grade level on middle school students' statistical literacy. The study was conducted in the spring semester of the 2012-2013 academic year with 598 middle-school students (grades 6-8) from three public schools in Turkey. The data were collected using the Statistical Literacy Test, developed based on…

  13. A Survey of Parental Involvement in Middle Schools in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hornby, Garry; Witte, Chrystal

    2010-01-01

    This article reports the results of a survey of parental involvement (PI) policy and practice in middle schools in a large New Zealand city. Principals at all 11 middle schools in the city were contacted and agreed to be interviewed. Interviews were conducted using a schedule that focuses on 11 aspects of PI: encouraging parents into school,…

  14. YourSELF. Middle School Nutrition Education Kit [Multimedia].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

    This multimedia kit provides information and materials for teaching nutrition to middle school students (grades 7 and 8). The kit supports schools' efforts to make school meals healthier and more appealing to students. The materials provide information about the relationships between food, nutrition, growth, and health. The kit speaks directly to…

  15. Findings from the First & Only National Data Base on Elemiddle & Middle Schools (Executive Summary)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hough, David L.

    2009-01-01

    The study presented here is the first large scale effort on a national level to examine the relationship between K-8 Elemiddle Schools and 6-8 Middle Schools. From a population of more than 2,000 middle grades schools in 49 public school districts across 26 states, a sample of 542 Elemiddle and 506 Middle Schools was drawn. Both regression and…

  16. Promoting a Successful Transition to Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akos, Patrick; Queen, J. Allen; Lineberry, Christopher

    2005-01-01

    With detailed examples of best practices from middle schools across the country, this book features research-based strategies and suggestions for transition programs. It covers the roles of school principals, counselors, classroom teachers, and the central office. The book is divided into the following sections: (1) An Overview of School…

  17. Self-Efficacy, Intrinsic Motivation, and Academic Outcomes among Latino Middle School Students Participating in an After-School Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niehaus, Kate; Rudasill, Kathleen Moritz; Adelson, Jill L.

    2012-01-01

    This longitudinal study examined how academic self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and participation in an after-school program contributed to the academic achievement of Latino middle school students over the course of one school year. Participants were 47 Latino students in sixth through eighth grades who attended two public middle schools in…

  18. Promoting Academic Achievement in the Middle School Classroom: Integrating Effective Study Skills Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorpe, Christin

    2010-01-01

    This study aimed to discover what study skills are most useful for middle school students, as well as strategies for integrating study skills instruction into the four main content area classrooms (English, math, science, and social studies) at the middle school level. Twenty-nine in-service middle school teachers participated in the study by…

  19. The impact of bullying and sexual harassment on middle and high school girls.

    PubMed

    Gruber, James E; Fineran, Susan

    2007-06-01

    The impact of bullying and sexual harassment on six health outcomes among middle school girls were compared to these outcomes among high school girls. High school girls experienced more bullying and sexual harassment and poorer health outcomes than their middle school counterparts, but the impact of these experiences was less among high school students. Differences in outcomes may be the result of better support systems and coping mechanisms among high school girls and/or challenging developmental changes during middle school. Sexual orientation, race, and disability had some notable relationships to bullying and sexual harassment experiences as well as health outcomes.

  20. Effects of Education on Breastfeeding Knowledge and Attitudes among Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zeller, Cynthia Lee

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the impact of a school health module on the breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes of middle school students. Method: A convenience sample of 39 middle school students received education related to breastfeeding and completed a pre-test and a post-test. The School Survey on Breastfeeding…

  1. A School Improvement Model for Motivating Adolescents to Achieve Success in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchinson, Stuart R.

    2012-01-01

    Effectively addressing the unique developmental and academic needs of adolescents is a challenge that educators have been grappling with since the mid-1960's when school systems began to convert junior high schools into middle schools. While educators have recognized the need to create developmentally responsive schools that help children to form…

  2. Nanotechnology Awareness, Opinions and Risk Perceptions among Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahin, Nurettin; Ekli, Emel

    2013-01-01

    The present study investigates awareness, factual knowledge, opinions, and risk perceptions of students from Turkish middle schools with regard to nanotechnology in a very general sense. The study was carried out among 1,396 middle school 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. The students' perceptions of and opinions about nanotechnology were elicited…

  3. The Effects of Integrated Literacy Interventions on Middle School Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glass, Jamie; Carney, Eve; Fisher, Alexandria

    2017-01-01

    While districts and schools continue to place more emphasis on personalized instruction and tiers of literacy interventions, more students are continuing to reach middle school without the ability to read on grade level. Much of the emphasis on the attainment of literacy skills occurs in the elementary grades. As a result, middle grades' literacy…

  4. Middle School Teacher Education: Staying the Course during Trying Times

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Paul S.

    2004-01-01

    In the context of today's turbulent university life, public education debates, and highly charged political milieu, the phrase "middle school teacher education" might be said to describe a less-than-quiet target of opportunity for a whole host of groups who despise the values, meanings, and the central goals of the middle school movement…

  5. Attitudes toward Diversity and the School Choice Process: Middle-Class Parents in a Segregated Urban Public School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimelberg, Shelley McDonough; Billingham, Chase M.

    2013-01-01

    White flight from urban public schools has been well documented, but little attention has been paid to middle-class reinvestment in urban schools. This article combines findings from interviews with middle-class parents of Boston Public School students with demographic data from the city's public elementary schools to examine the motivations of…

  6. The Development of Science Achievement in Middle and High School: Individual Differences and School Effects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jessie L. M.

    2002-01-01

    Used hierarchical linear models with data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth to model the growth of student science achievement in biology, physical science, and environmental science during middle and high school. Growth was quadratic across all areas, with rapid growth at the beginning of middle school and slow growth at the ending…

  7. Perceived School Climate across the Transition from Elementary to Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madjar, Nir; Cohen-Malayev, Maya

    2016-01-01

    The implications of the transition from elementary to middle school are of major concern for educators and researchers worldwide. Previous studies have yielded ambiguous findings; some have indicated negative outcomes of school transition, whereas others have demonstrated null or even positive effects. The aim of the current research was to…

  8. What Is the Middle School Movement Really About?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lipsitz, Joan Scheff

    The special needs and characteristics of pubescent adolescents led to the creation of junior high schools around the turn of the century, but these watered-down senior high schools have not provided a satisfactory transition between childhood and young adulthood. The middle school movement has not remedied the situation. It has provided programs…

  9. Reaching and Remediating "Grey-Area" Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jorgenson, Olaf; Smolkovich, Greg E.

    2004-01-01

    This article presents a framework for school administrators developed by Mesa Unified School district used in identifying and assisting the subtly struggling adolescents. Mesa's "safety net" approach targets middle grades students in the midst of their formative, pre-high school experience. Here, it is stated that the first step to identify a…

  10. Learning Declines Linked to Moving to Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sparks, Sarah D.

    2011-01-01

    While policymakers and researchers alike have focused on improving students' transition into high school, a new study of Florida schools suggests the critical transition problem may happen years before, when students enter middle school. The study, part of the Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series at Harvard University,…

  11. Schools to Watch: School Transformation Network, a U.S. Deparment of Education Investing in Innovation (i3) Development Grant. Final Evaluation Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grantee Submission, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The Schools to Watch: School Transformation Network Project is a whole school reform model designed to improve the educational practices, experiences, and outcomes of low-performing middle-grades schools. Developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, the four-year project was funded in 2010 by a U.S. Department of Education…

  12. The Under-Appreciated Role of Humiliation in the Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frey, Nancy; Fisher, Douglas

    2008-01-01

    In his book "The World Is Flat," Friedman (2005) argued that people have under-appreciated the role that humiliation plays in terrorism. If it is true, that humiliation plays a role in terrorism, what role might this under-appreciated emotion play in middle school? If terrorists act, in part, based on humiliation, how do middle school students act…

  13. The Efficacy of ClassWide Peer Tutoring in Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamps, Debra M.; Greenwood, Charles; Arreaga-Mayer, Carmen; Veerkamp, Mary Baldwin; Utley, Cheryl; Tapia, Yolanda; Bowman-Perrott, Lisa; Bannister, Harriett

    2008-01-01

    The majority of research on the efficacy of ClassWide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) is based on research with urban elementary students (Rohrbeck, Ginsberg-Block, Fantuzzo, & Miller, 2003), with much less research in middle schools. This study investigated CWPT with 975 middle school students in 52 classrooms, grades 6 through 8, over a three-year period.…

  14. Shooting for the Sun: The Message of Middle School Reform.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mizell, M. Hayes

    This book is a collection of speeches by M. Hayes Mizell. The book is divided into three parts. In part 1, Mizell reviews some of the challenges middle schools must overcome to become effective places of teaching and learning. His suggestions range from developing a new kind of middle school principal to better serving young people's…

  15. Applying Hope Theory to Support Middle School Transitions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akos, Patrick; Kurz, Maureen Shields

    2016-01-01

    Middle grades transitions pose challenges to many students who meet these tasks with varying levels of success. Contemporary developmental and strengths-based literature offers Hope Theory (Snyder, 2002), a research supported approach that can mitigate risks in school transitions. This article describes how middle grades educators can apply the…

  16. Gifted Learners: The Boomerang Kids of Middle School?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomlinson, Carol Ann

    1994-01-01

    A variety of beliefs and practices central to middle schools may cause special difficulties for gifted learners. Such practices often focus on potentially competing goals of student competencies versus student excellence and include such practices as heterogeneous grouping, cooperative learning, and an absence of clearly defined middle school…

  17. Electronic bullying among middle school students.

    PubMed

    Kowalski, Robin M; Limber, Susan P

    2007-12-01

    Electronic communications technologies are affording children and adolescents new means of bullying one another. Referred to as electronic bullying, cyberbullying, or online social cruelty, this phenomenon includes bullying through e-mail, instant messaging, in a chat room, on a website, or through digital messages or images sent to a cell phone. The present study examined the prevalence of electronic bullying among middle school students. A total of 3,767 middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8 who attend six elementary and middle schools in the southeastern and northwestern United States completed a questionnaire, consisting of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire and 23 questions developed for this study that examined participants' experiences with electronic bullying, as both victims and perpetrators. Of the students, 11% that they had been electronically bullied at least once in the last couple of months (victims only); 7% indicated that they were bully/victims; and 4% had electronically bullied someone else at least once in the previous couple of months (bullies only). The most common methods for electronic bullying (as reported by both victims and perpetrators) involved the use of instant messaging, chat rooms, and e-mail. Importantly, close to half of the electronic bully victims reported not knowing the perpetrator's identity. Electronic bullying represents a problem of significant magnitude. As children's use of electronic communications technologies is unlikely to wane in coming years, continued attention to electronic bullying is critical. Implications of these findings for youth, parents, and educators are discussed.

  18. Promoting Mental Health in Italian Middle and High School: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Veltro, Franco; Ialenti, Valentina; Morales García, Manuel Alejandro; Bonanni, Emiliana; Iannone, Claudia; D'Innocenzo, Marinella; Gigantesco, Antonella

    2017-01-01

    In Italy, a handbook has been developed based on the principles of cooperative learning, life skills, self-effectiveness, and problem-solving at high school level. Early studies have shown the handbook's effectiveness. It has been hypothesized that the revised handbook could be more effective in middle schools. The study design is a "pre- and posttest" that compares the results obtained from 91 students of the high schools with those of the 38 students from middle schools. The assessment was made through "self-reporting" questionnaires of (a) learning skills including problem-solving and (b) perceived self-efficacy in managing emotions, dysfunctional beliefs, and unhealthy behaviours (i.e., drinking/smoking). Significant improvements were observed in both groups with the exceptions of perceived self-efficacy in managing emotions. The improvement of dysfunctional beliefs and the learning of problem-solving skills were better in middle schools. The results confirm the authors' hypothesis that the use of this approach is much more promising in middle school.

  19. The Northcote Network of Schools and the Middle Years of Schooling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kruse, Darryn

    Recognizing the necessity of examining the needs of early adolescents and changing the focus of middle grades education in Australia, this report describes the findings from the Northcote Network of Schools, 8 primary and 2 secondary schools collaborating to develop continuity and coherence across grades 5 through 8. The paper outlines activities…

  20. After-School Tutoring for Reading Achievement and Urban Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson-Royes, Andrea M.; Reglin, Gary L.

    2011-01-01

    This research study's purpose or theme was to qualitatively investigate the reading component of a private after-school tutoring program that offered academic assistance to eighth-grade students. The problem with reading is many urban middle school students have poor reading skills and do not perform well on reading standardized tests. Relative to…

  1. Alternative education programmes and middle school dropout in Honduras

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marshall, Jeffery H.; Aguilar, Claudia R.; Alas, Mario; Castellanos, Renán Rápalo; Castro, Levi; Enamorado, Ramón; Fonseca, Esther

    2014-05-01

    Honduras has made steady progress in expanding post-primary school coverage in recent years, but many rural communities still do not provide a middle (lower secondary) school. As a result, Honduras has implemented a number of middle school alternative programmes designed to meet the needs of at-risk populations throughout the country. This article analyses dropout in three of the four main alternative lower secondary school programmes in Honduras over a three-year period for a cohort of roughly 5,500 students. The results show that these programmes are indeed reaching a vulnerable population in the country, but dropout rates are generally very high - upwards of 50 per cent in some cases - between Grades 7 and 9. Furthermore, even in the control school comparison samples made up of formal lower secondary schools, about 25 per cent of children leave school between Grades 7 and 9. The authors' analysis includes propensity score matching (PSM) methods that make more focused comparisons between students in alternative programmes and control samples. These results show that dropout rates in alternative programmes are not much different than in control schools, and only significant in one programme comparison, when taking into account family background characteristics like socioeconomic status (SES). Multivariate analysis within alternative programme samples finds that attrition is lower in those learning centres which have adopted key features of formal schools, such as university-educated teachers. The results highlight the tremendous variation in the alternative middle school sector in terms of programme features, school quality and student outcomes, as well as the challenges of expanding this sector to meet the growing demand for lower secondary schooling in Honduras.

  2. A comparative study of middle school and high school students' views about physics and learning physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Lin

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies of student epistemological beliefs about physics and learning physics focused on college and post-college students in Western countries. However, little is known about early-grade students in Asian countries. This paper reports Chinese middle and high school students' views about the nature of physics and learning physics, measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes Survey about Science (CLASS). Two variables—school level and gender—are examined for a series of comparative analyses. Results show that although middle school students received fewer years of education in physics, they demonstrated more expert-like conceptions about this subject matter than high school students. Also, male students in general exhibited more expert-like views than their female counterparts. While such a gender difference remained constant across both middle and high schools, for the most part it was a small-size difference.

  3. Middle and high school students shine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asher, Pranoti; Saltzman, Jennifer

    2012-02-01

    Middle and high school students participating in after-school and summer research experiences in the Earth and space sciences are invited to participate in AGU's Bright Students Training as Research Scientists (Bright STaRS) program. The Bright STaRS program provides a dedicated forum for these students to present their research results to the scientific community at AGU's Fall Meeting, where they can also learn about exciting research, education, and career opportunities in the Earth and space sciences. Last year's program included 33 abstracts from middle and high school students involved with the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences; Raising Interest in Science and Engineering summer internship program sponsored by the Office of Science Outreach at Stanford; Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Santa Cruz; California Academy of Science; San Francisco State University; the University of Arizona; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Their work spanned a variety of topics ranging from structural geology and paleontology to environmental geology and polar science. Nearly 100 Bright STaRS students presented their research posters on Thursday morning (8 December) of the Fall Meeting and had a chance to interact with scientists, AGU staff, and other meeting attendees.

  4. Middle-school students' school lunch consumption does not meet the new Institute of Medicine's National School Lunch Program recommendations.

    PubMed

    Cullen, Karen W; Watson, Kathleen B; Dave, Jayna M

    2011-10-01

    To compare the school lunch consumption of Texas middle-school students with the 2009 Institute of Medicine's (IOM) school meal report recommendations. These new lunch menu patterns increase fruit to one serving and vegetables to two servings, with 50 % wholegrain food. Lunch food records were collected from middle-school students from four schools in south-east Texas in the spring of 2008, and entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research software. Average intake was calculated for those consuming meals according to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP; n 5414) and for those consuming lunch from other sources (n 239). The percentage of students selecting each food group was calculated. Middle schools in south-east Texas. Middle-school students in south-east Texas. Students consuming NSLP meals reported consuming almost 1/2 serving of fruit, 3/4 serving of vegetables, 8 oz of milk and 1/3 serving of whole grains at lunch. Non-NSLP consumers reported almost no intake of fruit, vegetables or milk, and consumed 1/4 serving of whole grains at lunch. Among NSLP consumers, about 40% selected and consumed a fruit serving. About two-thirds of students selected a vegetable, consuming about 67 %. Less than 4% selected a dark green or orange vegetable. Students' lunch intake did not meet the new IOM recommendations. Few students selected dark green or orange vegetables, and only 40 % selected fruit. Whole grains consumption was low. Interventions with all stakeholders will be necessary to improve students' food and beverage selections overall when school meal patterns are revised.

  5. Spotlight on the Middle: Report of the Texas Task Force on Middle School Education. Executive Summary and State Board of Education Policy Statement on Middle Grade Education and Middle Grade Schools. Revised.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Education Agency, Austin.

    This summary highlights implementation strategies from the full report for restructuring middle grade education in Texas. The task force was guided by a central theme--a vision of Texas schools using each other as resources and the campus planning process as a vehicle for implementing research-based concepts and practices in the middle grades.…

  6. Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Regarding the Motivation and Effectiveness of Homework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snead, Donald; Burris, Kathleen G.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand middle school teachers' perspectives on the role of homework. Approximately 118 middle school teachers volunteered to complete open-ended surveys describing their perceptions regarding the effectiveness of homework. Qualitative analysis revealed teachers identified several instructional and…

  7. Middle School Learning, Academic Emotions and Engagement as Precursors to College Attendance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    San Pedro, Maria Ofelia Clarissa Z.

    2016-01-01

    This dissertation research focuses on assessing student behavior, academic emotions, and knowledge within a middle school online learning environment, and analyzing potential effects on students' interests and choices related to decisions about going to college. Using students' longitudinal data ranging from their middle school, to high school, to…

  8. Teacher Perceptions of One-to-One Mobile Devices in Middle School Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Still, Maridale

    2017-01-01

    Middle school reading teachers in a south Texas school district were surveyed to obtain a clearer understanding of one-to-one mobile device usage in the middle school reading classroom specifically regarding collaborative and active learning environments. The theoretical framework reviewed emerging learning theories that have steered effective…

  9. Return of the Vampire (Middle School).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson-Kuby, Sue Ann; Katz, Claudia Anne

    1996-01-01

    Presents, in the form of a conversation with a vampire, results of a teacher's research on middle school students' reading preferences. Includes a list of favorite books mentioned, favorite authors mentioned, and how students found these favorite books. (SR)

  10. Measuring symptoms and functioning of youth with ADHD in middle schools.

    PubMed

    Evans, Steven W; Allen, Jessica; Moore, Sheryle; Strauss, Victoria

    2005-12-01

    The identification of reliable and valid means for evaluating the effectiveness of school-based treatments and completing diagnostic evaluations of middle school aged students are needed. The present study examined the inter-rater agreement of teacher ratings and the relationship between ratings and observational data in a middle school setting. The data are interpreted in the context of differences between a secondary and elementary school setting. Teacher ratings and observational data were collected regularly over the course of two academic years for middle school students diagnosed with ADHD. The results indicate low rates of inter-rater agreement as well as low rates of agreement between teachers and observational data, and between observational data collected in different classrooms. Inter-rater agreement was lowest in late fall and gradually increased over the second half of the year. Implications for conducting treatment outcome evaluations of school-based treatment programs and diagnostic evaluations are discussed.

  11. Student Selection, Attrition, and Replacement in KIPP Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols-Barrer, Ira; Gleason, Philip; Gill, Brian; Tuttle, Christina Clark

    2016-01-01

    Skeptics of the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) charter school network argue that these schools rely on selective admission, attrition, and replacement of students to produce positive achievement results. We investigate this using data covering 19 KIPP middle schools. On average, KIPP schools admit students disadvantaged in ways similar to other…

  12. How Middle School Personnel Perceive an Antibullying Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lester, Robin Rawlings

    2013-01-01

    Bullying has become a nationwide concern at the K-12 level. Despite the target middle school's antibullying program, the incidence of bullying increased during the 1st and 3rd year of the program implementation. By identifying the perceptions of school personnel about this problem, district school leaders will be better equipped to select and…

  13. Middle School and pH?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herricks, Susan

    2007-01-01

    A local middle school requested that the Water Center of Advanced Materials for Purification of Water With Systems (WaterCAMPWS), a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center, provide an introduction to pH for their seventh-grade water-based service learning class. After sorting through a multitude of information about pH, a…

  14. Integrating Districts in Comprehensive School Reform in the Middle-Grades: Lessons from Middle Start CSR

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gopalan, Pritha

    2004-01-01

    This report compares district leaders' perspectives on changes in school capacity, student outcomes and district policy over three years of implementation of Middle Start (MS), a comprehensive school reform program to demonstrate the potential for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of CSR at the school level through integrating…

  15. Middle-Level Reform in High- And Low-Performing Middle Schools: A Question of Implementation?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roney, Kathleen; Brown, Kathleen M.; Anfara, Vincent A., Jr.

    2004-01-01

    Although reports calling for middle level schooling reform first appeared in the mid-1970s, change has been slow to come. In Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (1989), the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development outlined eight essential elements of middle level education. Drawing from the Carnegie Council's…

  16. Middle Years. For Middle Level Educators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hechinger, Fred M.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    This supplement offers 10 articles focusing on middle school education. Topics include remembering adolescence, resources and teaching tips, active middle school students, adolescent development, challenges in middle school education, integrated studies, planning middle school special events, a writing-science-consumerism miniunit on popcorn,…

  17. School Reform and the Transition to Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderman, Eric M.; And Others

    This paper presents findings of a study that used goal orientation theory as a guiding framework for a collaborative effort with middle school principals, teachers, and parents over a 3-year period. The intervention sought to change policies and practices so that they would reflect more of a task-goal orientation and less of an ability-goal…

  18. Navigating Access and Maintaining Established Practice: Social Studies Teachers' Technology Integration at Three Florida Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheffield, Caroline

    2011-01-01

    This mixed methods multiple case study explored middle school social studies teachers' instructional use of digital technology at three suburban middle schools This mixed methods, multiple-case study explored middle school social studies teachers' instructional use of digital technology at three suburban middle schools in a large Florida school…

  19. Schooling Experiences and Perceptions of Resettled Sub-Saharan African Refugee Middle School Students in a Southwest U.S. State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sallu, Adama

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the schooling experiences and perceptions of resettled sub-Saharan African middle school refugee students in a metropolitan area of the United States Southwest. The research questions underpinning this study included: What are the schooling experiences and perceptions of resettled sub-Saharan African middle school refugee…

  20. Enhancing Formative Assessment Practice and Encouraging Middle School Mathematics Engagement and Persistence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beesley, Andrea D.; Clark, Tedra F.; Dempsey, Kathleen; Tweed, Anne

    2018-01-01

    In the transition to middle school, and during the middle school years, students' motivation for mathematics tends to decline from what it was during elementary school. Formative assessment strategies in mathematics can help support motivation by building confidence for challenging tasks. In this study, the authors developed and piloted a…

  1. Middle School Principals' Perception of the Effect of Technology on Job Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackwell, James M.

    2009-01-01

    The use of computers and computer-based applications is prevalent in schools, from the classroom to the principal's office. This study of middle school principals in Virginia and West Virginia addressed the following eight questions: (a) What computer technology applications are available to middle school principals? (b) What are the perceived…

  2. Literature Discussion: Encouraging Reading Interest and Comprehension in Struggling Middle School Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pittman, Pamela; Honchell, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how literature discussion affects middle school struggling readers. The focus was on 16 middle school struggling readers in a rural Title I school in the southeastern United States. Findings indicated that (a) literature discussion increased student enjoyment of reading, and (b) students…

  3. A Multiyear Investigation of Combating Bullying in Middle School: Stakeholder Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shriberg, David; Burns, Mallory; Desai, Poonam; Grunewald, Stephanie; Pitt, Rachel

    2015-01-01

    Working collaboratively to address bullying among middle school students is an ongoing challenge. This study used participatory action research to collaborate with key stakeholders within a middle school to identify needs and implement more effective practices. Extensive qualitative and quantitative data are presented, along with process…

  4. A Case Study Exploring the Transition to Middle School from the Perspective of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rappa, Kelly A.

    2012-01-01

    The transition to middle school is often associated with negative effects on academic achievement, motivation, self-esteem, and psychological well-being. Educators at a Grade 6 through 8 middle school in the northeastern United States observed students struggle with the adjustment to middle school. Research suggests that developmentally responsive…

  5. WWC Review of the Report “Improving Reading Comprehension and Social Studies Knowledge in Middle School.” What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The study reviewed in this paper examined the effects of the instructional practice “Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content Through Text” (“PACT”), an approach that aims to improve social studies content knowledge and reading comprehension. This study took place in two middle schools in a near-urban district in Texas. Study authors…

  6. The Organizational Culture and Structure of Accelerated Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steaffens, Susan; McCarthy, Jane; Putney, LeAnn; Steinhoff, Carl

    This paper describes the organizational culture and structure of five accelerated schools in the Clark County School District in Nevada, focusing on the similarities and differences among these schools. The cultural aspects of the schools under comparison included the guiding principles, the central values, and the learning philosophy, whereas the…

  7. Influence of school-level variables on aggression and associated attitudes of middle school students.

    PubMed

    Henry, David B; Farrell, Albert D; Schoeny, Michael E; Tolan, Patrick H; Dymnicki, Allison B

    2011-10-01

    This study sought to understand school-level influences on aggressive behavior and related social cognitive variables. Participants were 5106 middle school students participating in a violence prevention project. Predictors were school-level norms opposing aggression and favoring nonviolence, interpersonal climate (positive student-teacher relationships and positive student-student relationships), and school responsiveness to violence (awareness and reporting of violence and school safety problems). Outcomes were individual-level physical aggression, beliefs supporting aggression, and self-efficacy for nonviolent responses. School norms and both interpersonal climate variables had effects on all three outcomes in theorized directions. Only one of the responsiveness measures, awareness and reporting of violence, had theoretically consistent effects on all outcomes. The other, school safety problems, affected self-efficacy later in middle school. Evidence of gender moderation was generally consistent with greater influence of school-level factors on female adolescents. Discussion focuses on implications in light of previous research and intervention possibilities. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Comprehensive School Reform and Standardized Test Scores in Illinois Elementary and Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McEnroe, James D.

    2010-01-01

    The study examined the effects of the federally funded Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) program on student performance on mandated standardized tests. The study focused on the mathematics and reading scores of Illinois public elementary and middle and junior high school students. The federal CSR program provided Illinois schools with an annual…

  9. Motivacion y estudiantes de secundaria (Motivation and Middle School Students). ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderman, Lynley Hicks; Midgley, Carol

    Research has shown a decline in motivation and performance for many children as they move from elementary school into middle school; however, research has also shown that the nature of motivational change on entry to middle school depends on characteristics of the learning environment in which students find themselves. This Digest outlines some…

  10. NCLB Presents Middle School Complications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keller, Bess

    2004-01-01

    In this article, the author reports how the "highly qualified" provision of the No Child Left Behind Act affected middle-grades teachers far more than teachers at the elementary and high school levels. Under the federal law, teachers beyond the elementary grades who were in the classroom two years ago may show their knowledge of academic…

  11. Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District. Educational Specifications: Dry Creek Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, Roseville, CA.

    An Educational Specification Committee was convened to determine the design specifications required for a new middle school in Roseville, California's Dry Creek District. This report presents revisions to an earlier document that examined school room specifications for each grade level and administrative area. Specification considerations are…

  12. The Relationship of Mentoring on Middle School Girls' Science-Related Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Lynette M.

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative study examined the science-related attitudes of middle school girls who attended a science-focused mentoring program and those of middle school girls who attended a traditional mentoring program. Theories related to this study include social cognitive theory, cognitive development theory, and possible selves' theory. These…

  13. Teaching in Middle School Technology Education: A Review of Recent Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sherman, Thomas M.; Sanders, Mark; Kwon, Hyuksoo

    2010-01-01

    We review articles published between 1995 and 2008 in four journals that are the primary scholarly resources for Technology Education middle school teaching. This descriptive study identified four main issues that scholars addressed: what should be taught in middle school, the structure and content of curriculum transformation, integrating…

  14. Helping Struggling Middle School Literacy Learners Achieve Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palumbo, Anthony; Sanacore, Joseph

    2009-01-01

    Teachers can help minority children close the academic achievement gap in intermediate and middle school by combining literacy instruction and content-area material. This connection improves reading achievement and increases curriculum knowledge, even if students have previously experienced difficulty with primary school reading. Fortunately,…

  15. Epidemiology of basketball, soccer, and volleyball injuries in middle-school female athletes.

    PubMed

    Barber Foss, Kim D; Myer, Greg D; Hewett, Timothy E

    2014-05-01

    An estimated 30 to 40 million school children participate in sports in the United States; 34% of middle-school participants become injured and seek medical treatment at an annual cost close to $2 billion. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the injury incidence and rates in female athletes in the middle-school setting during the course of 3 seasons. Female basketball, soccer, and volleyball players were recruited from a single county public school district in Kentucky consisting of 5 middle schools. A total of 268 female athletes (162 basketball, 26 soccer, and 80 volleyball) participated. Athletes were monitored for sports-related injury and number of athlete exposures (AEs) by an athletic trainer. Injury rates were calculated for specific types of injuries within each sport. Injury rates for games and practices were also calculated and compared for each sport. A total of 134 injuries were recorded during the 3 sport seasons. The knee was the most commonly injured body part (99 injuries [73.9%]), of which patellofemoral dysfunction (31.3%), Osgood-Schlatter disease (10.4%), and Sinding-Larsen-Johansson/patella tendinosis (9%) had the greatest incidence. The ankle was the second most commonly injured body part, accounting for 16.4% of all injuries. The overall rates of injury by sport were as follows: soccer, 6.66 per 1000 AEs; volleyball, 3.68 per 1000 AEs; and basketball, 2.86 per 1000 AEs. Female middle-school athletes displayed comparable injury patterns to those seen in their high-school counterparts. Future work is warranted to determine the potential for improved outcomes in female middle-school athletes with access to athletic training services. As the participation levels and number of injuries continue to rise, middle-school athletes demonstrate an increasing need for medical services provided by a certified athletic trainer.

  16. Epidemiology of Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball Injuries in Middle-School Female Athletes

    PubMed Central

    Barber Foss, Kim D.; Myer, Greg D.; Hewett, Timothy E.

    2014-01-01

    Background An estimated 30 to 40 million school children participate in sports in the United States; 34% of middle-school participants become injured and seek medical treatment at an annual cost close to $2 billion. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the injury incidence and rates in female athletes in the middle-school setting during the course of 3 seasons. Methods Female basketball, soccer, and volleyball players were recruited from a single county public school district in Kentucky consisting of 5 middle schools. A total of 268 female athletes (162 basketball, 26 soccer, and 80 volleyball) participated. Athletes were monitored for sports-related injury and number of athlete exposures (AEs) by an athletic trainer. Injury rates were calculated for specific types of injuries within each sport. Injury rates for games and practices were also calculated and compared for each sport. Results A total of 134 injuries were recorded during the 3 sport seasons. The knee was the most commonly injured body part (99 injuries [73.9%]), of which patellofemoral dysfunction (31.3%), Osgood-Schlatter disease (10.4%), and Sinding-Larsen-Johansson/patella tendinosis (9%) had the greatest incidence. The ankle was the second most commonly injured body part, accounting for 16.4% of all injuries. The overall rates of injury by sport were as follows: soccer, 6.66 per 1000 AEs; volleyball, 3.68 per 1000 AEs; and basketball, 2.86 per 1000 AEs. Conclusions Female middle-school athletes displayed comparable injury patterns to those seen in their high-school counterparts. Future work is warranted to determine the potential for improved outcomes in female middle-school athletes with access to athletic training services. Clinical Relevance As the participation levels and number of injuries continue to rise, middle-school athletes demonstrate an increasing need for medical services provided by a certified athletic trainer. PMID:24875981

  17. Vital Signs: Exposure to Electronic Cigarette Advertising Among Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2014.

    PubMed

    Singh, Tushar; Marynak, Kristy; Arrazola, René A; Cox, Shanna; Rolle, Italia V; King, Brian A

    2016-01-08

    Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has increased considerably among U.S. youths since 2011. Tobacco use among youths in any form, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe. Tobacco product advertising can persuade youths to start using tobacco. CDC analyzed data from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey to estimate the prevalence of e-cigarette advertisement exposure among U.S. middle school and high school students. The 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey, a school-based survey of middle school and high school students in grades 6-12, included 22,007 participants. Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements (categorized as "sometimes," "most of the time," or "always") was assessed for four sources: retail stores, Internet, TV and movies, and newspapers and magazines. Weighted exposure estimates were assessed overall and by school type, sex, race/ethnicity, and grade. In 2014, 68.9% of middle and high school students (18.3 million) were exposed to e-cigarette advertisements from at least one source. Among middle school students, exposure was highest for retail stores (52.8%), followed by Internet (35.8%), TV and movies (34.1%), and newspapers and magazines (25.0%). Among high school students, exposure was highest for retail stores (56.3%), followed by Internet (42.9%), TV and movies (38.4%), and newspapers and magazines (34.6%). Among middle school students, 23.4% reported exposure to e-cigarette advertising from one source, 17.4% from two sources, 13.7% from three sources, and 11.9% from four sources. Among high school students, 21.1% reported exposure to e-cigarette advertising from one source, 17.0% from two sources, 14.5% from three sources, and 18.2% from four sources. Approximately seven in 10 U.S. middle and high school students were exposed to e-cigarette advertisements in 2014. Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements might contribute to increased use of e-cigarettes among youths. Multiple approaches are warranted to reduce youth e-cigarette use and exposure to e

  18. Elementary and middle school science improvement project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcguire, Saundra Y.

    1989-01-01

    The Alabama A and M University Elementary and Middle School Science Improvement Project (Project SIP) was instituted to improve the science knowledge of elementary and middle school teachers using the experimental or hands-on approach. Summer workshops were conducted during the summers of 1986, 1987, and 1988 in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and electricity, and magnetism. Additionally, a manual containing 43 lessons which included background information, experiments and activities for classroom and home use was provided to each teacher. During the course of the project activities, the teachers interacted with various university faculty members, scientists, and NASA staff. The administrative aspects of the program, the delivery of the services to participating teachers, and the project outcome are addressed.

  19. Influence of School-Level Variables on Aggression and Associated Attitudes of Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, David B.; Farrell, Albert D.; Schoeny, Michael E.; Tolan, Patrick H.; Dymnicki, Allison B.

    2011-01-01

    This study sought to understand school-level influences on aggressive behavior and related social cognitive variables. Participants were 5106 middle school students participating in a violence prevention project. Predictors were school-level norms opposing aggression and favoring nonviolence, interpersonal climate (positive student-teacher…

  20. Psychometric Evidence of SRSS-IE Scores in Middle and High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Oakes, Wendy Peia; Cantwell, Emily D.; Menzies, Holly Mariah; Schatschneider, Christopher; Lambert, Warren; Common, Eric Alan

    2017-01-01

    We report results of an exploratory validation study of the "Student Risk Screening Scale-Internalizing and Externalizing" (SRSS-IE) applied with the first sample of middle and high school students from nine middle and three high schools from three states. The "Student Risk Screening Scale" (SRSS) was modified to broaden the…

  1. Creating Healthy Active Minds for Personal Success (CHAMPS) in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shawley, Jessica

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to provide support for middle school physical education programs that meet the developmental needs of students while providing for student choice. With its health and physical education program called Creating Healthy Active Minds for Personal Success (CHAMPS), Moscow Middle School is striving to cultivate student…

  2. Controversial Books in the Middle School: Can They Make a Difference?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittingham, Jeff; Rickman, Wendy

    2007-01-01

    One of the basic principles of middle school education is trying to meet the needs of "all" young adolescents (National Middle School Association, 1995, 2003). Meeting those needs includes protection from and education about discrimination. Using juvenile and young adult literature containing homosexual themes and characters appears to be one…

  3. Accelerated Schools in Action: Lessons from the Field.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finnan, Christine, Ed.; And Others

    This book provides insights into one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive school-restructuring movements, the Accelerated Schools Project. Since its inception in 1986, the focus of the movement has been on transforming schools with students at risk of dropping out into schools with high expectations of all students. This is accomplished,…

  4. Investigating Gifted Middle School Students' Images about Scientists: A Cultural Similarity Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bayri, N.; Koksal, M. S.; Ertekin, P.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate gifted middle school students' images about scientists in terms of cultural similarity. Sample of the study is 64 gifted middle school students taking courses from a formal school for gifted students. The data were collected by using Draw-a-scientist (DAST) instrument and was analysed by two researchers…

  5. Compañeros: High School Students Mentor Middle School Students to Address Obesity Among Hispanic Adolescents.

    PubMed

    Arlinghaus, Katherine R; Moreno, Jennette P; Reesor, Layton; Hernandez, Daphne C; Johnston, Craig A

    2017-10-12

    Promotoras, Hispanic community health workers, are frequently employed to promote health behavioral change with culturally bound Hispanic lifestyle behaviors. Peer health mentors have been used in schools to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors among students. This study investigates the efficacy of combining these 2 approaches by training high school health mentors, called compañeros, to engage Hispanic middle school students in a school-based obesity intervention as a strategy to promote and sustain reductions in standardized body mass index (zBMI). High school compañeros were trained to participate in a 6-month obesity program alongside middle school students in Houston, Texas. Middle school students were randomized to participate in the program either with compañeros (n = 94) or without compañeros (n = 95). The intervention was conducted from 2013 through 2016 in 3 cohorts of students, 1 each school year. Students were followed for 12 months. The primary outcome was zBMI, which was analyzed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Significant differences were found between conditions across time (F = 4.58, P = .01). After the 6-month intervention, students in the condition with compañeros had a larger decrease in zBMI (F = 6.94, P = .01) than students in the condition without compañeros. Furthermore, students who received the intervention with compañeros showed greater sustained results at 12 months (F = 7.65, P = .01). Using high school compañeros in an obesity intervention for Hispanic middle school students could be effective in promoting and maintaining reductions in zBMI.

  6. "Find the Strength in Every Teacher": Urban Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of Effective Change Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Timothy Clancy

    2013-01-01

    Urban middle schools face many accountability measures which often create the need for school improvement. Leading urban middle schools through the change process is extremely challenging for principals. The combination of leading change, leading urban schools, and leading middle schools is an uphill climb. Teachers' perceptions of leadership…

  7. The Impact of Mentoring Programs on Teachers in Urban Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wider, Beyonka Shantel

    2012-01-01

    Retaining teachers is a pressing issue facing many urban middle schools in the southern US. Urban middle schools continually face increased teacher turnover rates in spite of state mandated induction and mentoring programs. Drawing from Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, the purpose of the qualitative case study was to examine urban middle…

  8. Middle school injuries: a 20-year (1988-2008) multisport evaluation.

    PubMed

    Beachy, Glenn; Rauh, Mitchell

    2014-01-01

    Data on the incidence of injury in middle school sports are limited. To describe overall, practice, and game injury rate patterns in 29 middle school sports. Descriptive epidemiology study. Injury data collected over a 20-year period (1988-2008) at a single school. Boy (n = 8078) and girl (n = 5960) athletes participating in 14 and 15 middle school sports, respectively. Injury status and athlete-exposures (AEs) were collected by certified athletic trainers. Incidence rates per 1000 AEs (injuries/AEs) were calculated for overall incidence, practices and games, injury location, injury type, and injury severity (time lost from participation). Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare injury rates for sex-matched sports. Football had the highest injury rate for all injuries (16.03/1000 AEs) and for time-loss injuries (8.486/1000 AEs). In matched middle school sports, girls exhibited a higher injury rate for all injuries (7.686/1000 AEs, RR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.2) and time-loss injuries (2.944/1000 AEs, RR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.0, 1.2) than boys (all injuries: 6.684/1000 AEs, time-loss injuries: 2.702/1000 AEs). Girls had a higher injury rate during practices (3.30/1000 AEs) than games (1.67/1000 AEs, RR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.7, 2.4) for all sports. Only gymnastics (RR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.3, 3.8) had a higher game injury rate for girls. Practice and game injury rates were nearly identical for boys in all sports (RR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.9, 1.1). Only football (RR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.4, 0.6) and boys' wrestling (RR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.3, 0.8) reported higher game injury rates. Tendinitis injuries accounted for 19.1% of all middle school injuries. The risk for sport-related injury at the middle school level was greater during practices than games and greater for girls than boys in sex-matched sports. Conditioning programs may be needed to address the high rate of tendinitis injuries.

  9. America's Middle Schools: Practices and Progress. A 25 Year Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McEwin, C. Kenneth; And Others

    The 1990s will likely be a watershed period for middle level education, as the real challenges surrounding making "second level" changes replace the euphoria that accompanied early growth of the middle school movement. Yet, zealousness still characterizes reform efforts at the middle level. This study, the most comprehensive ever…

  10. The Changing Role of the Principal in the Move from a Traditional School to an Accelerated School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Georgia J.

    This paper examines the implications for change in the role of the principal when a school moves from a traditional model to a specific restructured model, an accelerated school. The paper begins with a review of the characteristics of both traditional and restructured schools in general, and the accelerated school as a particular example of a…

  11. Middle School Students' Views of Scientific Inquiry: An International Comparative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Senler, B.

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate middle school students' views of scientific inquiry. A total of 489 middle school students (238 from the United States, and 251 from Turkey) participated in the study. The Views of Scientific Inquiry-Elementary (VOSI-E) was used to assess participants' scientific inquiry views. The instrument covered four…

  12. Middle School Girls: Experiences in a Place-Based Education Science Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shea, Charlene K.

    2016-01-01

    The middle school years are a crucial time when girls' science interest and participation decrease (Barton, Tan, O'Neill, Bautista-Guerra, & Brecklin, 2013). The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of middle school girls and their teacher in an eighth grade place-based education (PBE) science classroom. PBE strives to increase…

  13. The Features of Peer Argumentation in Middle School Students' Scientific Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Heekyong; Song, Jinwoong

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the features of peer argumentation in middle school students' scientific inquiry. Participants were two boys and six girls in grade 8 of a middle school in Seoul, Korea. Students engaged in open inquiry activities in small groups. Each group prepared the report for peer review and then, during the peer discussion, presented…

  14. Steps Counts among Middle School Students Vary with Aerobic Fitness Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Le Masurier, Guy C.; Corbin, Charles B.

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine if steps/day taken by middle school students varied based on aerobic fitness classification. Middle school students (N = 223; 112 girls, 111 boys) were assigned to three aerobic fitness categories (HIGH, MOD, LOW) based on results of the FITNESSGRAM PACER test. Four weekdays of pedometer monitoring…

  15. The Trajectory of Popularity Goal during the Transition to Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawes, Molly; Xie, Hongling

    2017-01-01

    The trajectory of early adolescents' popularity goal during the transition to middle school was examined in a diverse sample of 401 students. Popularity goal was assessed at five time points from the spring semester of fifth grade through the spring semester of seventh grade with the transition to middle school occurring between the fifth and…

  16. Collaborative Assessment: Middle School Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parkison, Paul T.

    2014-01-01

    Utilizing a participant observer research model, a case study of the efficacy of a collaborative assessment methodology within a middle school social studies class was conducted. A review of existing research revealed that students' perceptions of assessment, evaluation, and accountability influence their intrinsic motivation to learn. A…

  17. Community Meeting in the Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wich, Ginger; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Three articles examine the concept of, and the role of, community meetings in the middle school. The articles are "Creating Community" (Ginger Wich); "Walking the Talk" (Marta Donahoe); and "Best for the Program" (Brandt C.P. Smith). Comments on community meetings from students are also included. (TJQ)

  18. Factors That Influence Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Willingness to Collaborate with School Librarians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schnabel, Stephanie L.

    2017-01-01

    Collaboration between school libraries and classroom teachers can have a powerful impact on student learning. School librarians routinely collaborate with English language arts and social studies curriculum and less frequently with areas in STEM education. This research examines middle school mathematics teachers' extent of or willingness to…

  19. Best Practice in Middle-School Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Wilcox, Kristen C.; Angelis, Janet; Applebee, Arthur N.; Amodeo, Vincent; Snyder, Michele A.

    2013-03-01

    Using socio-ecological theory, this study explores best practice (educational practices correlated with higher student performance) in middle-school science. Seven schools with consistently higher student performance were compared with three demographically similar, average-performing schools. Best practice included instructional approaches (relevance and engagement, inquiry, differentiated instruction, collaborative work, moderate amounts of homework, and integration of language literacy and science) and administrative practices (nurturing a climate of opportunity to succeed in science, offering professional development based on data and dialogue, engaging teachers in standards-based curriculum revision and alignment, and recruiting the right fit of teacher). It is argued that best practice entails multiple levels of teaching and administrative praxis that together form a school-wide socio-ecological system conducive to higher performance.

  20. The physical activity climate in Minnesota middle and high schools.

    PubMed

    Samuelson, Anne; Lytle, Leslie; Pasch, Keryn; Farbakhsh, Kian; Moe, Stacey; Sirard, John Ronald

    2010-11-01

    This article describes policies, practices, and facilities that form the physical activity climate in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota metro area middle and high schools and examines how the physical activity climate varies by school characteristics, including public/private, school location and grade level. Surveys examining school physical activity practices, policies and environment were administered to principals and physical education department heads from 115 middle and high schools participating in the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer-Identifying Determinants of Eating and Activity (TREC-IDEA) study. While some supportive practices were highly prevalent in the schools studied (such as prohibiting substitution of other classes for physical education); other practices were less common (such as providing opportunity for intramural (noncompetitive) sports). Public schools vs. private schools and schools with a larger school enrollment were more likely to have a school climate supportive of physical activity. Although schools reported elements of positive physical activity climates, discrepancies exist by school characteristics. Of note, public schools were more than twice as likely as private schools to have supportive physical activity environments. Establishing more consistent physical activity expectations and funding at the state and national level is necessary to increase regular school physical activity.

  1. Value recognition and eating patterns of Kimchi in female middle school students and their mothers

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Min-June; Yoon, In-Kyung

    2007-01-01

    This study analyzed Kimchi eating culture in 178 households with female middle school children located in Incheon and Seosan areas, investigated the Kimchi eating patterns of female middle school students, and also analyzed the differences in value recognition for Kimchi between mothers and their female middle school students. Results showed that 23.0% of subject households answered eat Kimchi at every meal and the main reason for eating Kimchi in most households was good for taste. Most households made their own Kimchi, and only 12.3% of households bought Kimchi. Subject households preferred hot and spicy taste (34.8%) and pleasing taste (20.2%), and 44.4% of middle school children answered as eating Kimchi at every meal, and the source for information on Kimchi was home in 51.6% and mass media in 33.7%, suggesting the lack of school education. Both mothers and their female middle school students placed high value on Kimchi for its nutritional aspect and on Kimchi from the market for its convenience. Mothers showed significantly higher value (p<0.05) on the storage aspect of Kimchi compared to their middle school students, and female middle school students showed significantly higher value (p<0.05) on the value recognition for Kimchi as an international food compared to their mothers. Also, the value for hot pepper powder was high among other additional ingredients, and both mothers and middle school students had high values for Kimchi stew among other food dishes using Kimchi, and middle school students showed higher values (p<0.001) on foreign dishes using Kimchi such as Kimchi pizza and Kimchi spaghetti compared to the mothers group. Therefore, based on these results, the development of educational programs on Kimchi is needed not only at home but also at schools, by re-emphasizing the importance of value recognition for KImchi in our food culture. PMID:20535401

  2. The Right Stuff: Essential Resources for Managing Your Middle School Media Center.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manczuk, Suzanne

    1999-01-01

    Describes the following resources for managing a middle school media center: literature bibliographies with on-target middle school recommendations and useful annotations; resources for teaching primary sources; resources on censorship and banned books; basic Internet guides; copyright-law resources; information-literacy standards; and…

  3. Middle School Students' Perceptions of Social Dimensions as Influencers of Academic Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bishop, Penny A.; Pflaum, Susanna W.

    2005-01-01

    This qualitative study investigates rural middle school students' perceptions of academic engagement. Participant-produced drawings (Kearney & Hyle, 2003), integrated with a series of semi-structured interviews (Patton, 2002), served as the primary data collection techniques. Twenty middle school students participated, stratified for socioeconomic…

  4. Silent Partners: Uncovering Middle School and High School Students' Perceptions of Their Roles in Two School-University Partnerships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kruse, Nathan B.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore middle school and high school band students' perceptions of two ongoing school-university partnerships. Interviews and focus group interviews were conducted with school students to capture their unique perspectives and to support the tenets of formative and action research designs. Findings indicated that…

  5. Teachers' Perception of Team Teaching Middle School Mathematics in Urban Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Serrano, Vanessa

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of team teaching middle school mathematics in urban schools. The research questions focused on student academic performance and the impact that team teaching may have from the perspective of teachers. The theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bruner formed the theoretical foundation…

  6. Teens, Power Tools, and Green Schools: Education for Sustainability through a University Environmental Design Program and Middle School Partnership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derr, Victoria

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the role of green schools in promoting education for sustainability by reflecting on a university-middle school partnership focused on sustainable design. Undergraduates and middle school students met weekly for a semester to learn about sustainability through simple design projects and activities that focused on…

  7. The pediatric daytime sleepiness scale (PDSS): sleep habits and school outcomes in middle-school children.

    PubMed

    Drake, Christopher; Nickel, Chelsea; Burduvali, Eleni; Roth, Thomas; Jefferson, Catherine; Pietro, Badia

    2003-06-15

    To develop a measure of daytime sleepiness suitable for middle-school children and examine the relationship between daytime sleepiness and school-related outcomes. Self-report questionnaire. Four hundred fifty, 11- to 15-year-old students, from grades 6, 7, and 8 of a public middle school in Dayton, Ohio. A pediatric daytime sleepiness questionnaire was developed using factor analysis of questions regarding sleep-related behaviors. Results of the sleepiness questionnaire were then compared across other variables, including daily sleep patterns, school achievement, mood, and extracurricular activities. Factor analysis on the 13 questions related to daytime sleepiness yielded 1 primary factor ("pediatric daytime sleepiness"; 32% of variance). Only items with factor loadings above .4 were included in the final sleepiness scale. Internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha) for the final 8-item scale was .80. Separate one-way analyses of variance and trend analyses were performed comparing pediatric daytime sleepiness scores at the 5 different levels of total sleep time and academic achievement. Participants who reported low school achievement, high rates of absenteeism, low school enjoyment, low total sleep time, and frequent illness reported significantly higher levels of daytime sleepiness compared to children with better school-related outcomes. The self-report scale developed in the present work is suitable for middle-school-age children and may be useful in future research given its ease of administration and robust psychometric properties. Daytime sleepiness is related to reduced educational achievement and other negative school-related outcomes.

  8. Elementary- and Middle-School Teachers' Reasoning about Intervening in School Violence: An Examination of Violence-Prone School Subcontexts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behre, William J.; Astor, Ron Avi; Meyer, Heather Ann

    2001-01-01

    Compares middle-school and elementary school teachers' reasoning about their professional roles when violence occurs in school subcontexts such as hallways, cafeterias, and playgrounds. Uses concepts from urban planning, architecture, criminology, and cognitive developmental domain theory to explore teachers' moral attitudes toward school…

  9. Later Start, Longer Sleep: Implications of Middle School Start Times.

    PubMed

    Temkin, Deborah A; Princiotta, Daniel; Ryberg, Renee; Lewin, Daniel S

    2018-05-01

    Although adolescents generally get less than the recommended 9 hours of sleep per night, research and effort to delay school start times have generally focused on high schools. This study assesses the relation between school start times and sleep in middle school students while accounting for potentially confounding demographic variables. Seventh and eighth grade students attending 8 late starting schools (∼8:00 am, n = 630) and 3 early starting schools (∼7:23 am, n = 343) from a diverse suburban school district completed online surveys about their sleep behaviors. Doubly robust inverse probability of treatment weighted regression estimates of the effects of later school start time on student bedtimes, sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness were generated. Attending a school starting 37 minutes later was associated with an average of 17 additional minutes of sleep per weeknight, despite an average bedtime 15 minutes later. Students attending late starting schools were less sleepy than their counterparts in early starting schools, and more likely to be wide awake. Later school start times were significantly associated with improved sleep outcomes for early adolescents, providing support for the movement to delay school start times for middle schools. © 2018, American School Health Association.

  10. Life Skills Training for Middle and High School Students with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiang, Hsu-Min; Ni, Xinyu; Lee, Young-Sun

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the extent to which life skills training was offered to middle and high school students with autism and life skills training needs after high school. A secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Training Study-2 (NLTS-2) data was conducted in this study. This study found that the majority of the middle and high school…

  11. Parenting Practices and Tobacco Use in Middle School Students in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Poms, Laura W.; Fleming, Lila C.; Jacobsen, Kathryn H.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Parenting practices have been shown to have a strong influence on adolescent tobacco use in high-income countries. This study examined whether parenting practices also were associated with tobacco use by middle school students (approximately ages 13-15) in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: A secondary analysis was performed on…

  12. Linking School and Work to Accelerate Student Results.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Workforce Economics, 1999

    1999-01-01

    This serial issue focusing on the theme of "School-to-Work." The two articles it contains describe promising practices that benefit individual students who participate. The first article, "Connecting the Dots: Linking School and Work to Accelerate Student Results," examines how schools and businesses are linking up, leading to benefits for…

  13. From the Mouths of Middle-Schoolers: Important Changes for High School and College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bushaw, William J.

    2007-01-01

    Three highly regarded organizations, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) International, and the Lumina Foundation for Education, undertook an important project to collect the opinions of middle school students using a scientific polling process. The idea to poll middle school students took shape…

  14. Middle School Teacher and Student Ethnicity in Texas: A MultiYear Statewide Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bone, Jamie; Slate, John R.; Martinez-Garcia, Cynthia

    2011-01-01

    In this investigation, relationships between teacher ethnicity and student ethnicity in Texas public middle schools were examined. Through the Texas Education Agency Academic Excellence Indicator System, publicly available data on all public middle schools in Texas for the 1999-2000 through 2009-2010 school years were downloaded. Statistically…

  15. Creating Mathematics Websites in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Alessandra

    2015-01-01

    During middle school years, students generally finalise their attitude toward mathematics and their perception of themselves as students of mathematics in terms of aptitude, motivation, interest, and competence. Therefore, giving them varied opportunities to foster a positive and successful approach to the study of mathematics is critical, and can…

  16. The Intersection between 1:1 Laptop Implementation and the Characteristics of Effective Middle Level Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Downes, John M.; Bishop, Penny A.

    2015-01-01

    The number of middle level schools adopting 1:1 laptop programs has increased considerably during the past decade (e.g., Lowther, Strahl, Inan, & Bates, 2007; Storz & Hoffman, 2013; Texas Center for Educational Research, 2009). The cornerstone practices of the middle school concept (National Middle School Association, 2010), therefore,…

  17. English Language Arts Scores among Sixth Grade Students Enrolled on an Elementary versus Middle School Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, La-Trice

    2013-01-01

    A K-12 school district located in southern California was faced with overcrowding at 1of its middle schools for the 2011-2012 school year. This project study was designed to explore if an elementary or middle school campus was best in supporting students' academics while they were in transition to 6th grade middle school. Maslow's hierarchy of…

  18. Mouthguard usage by middle and high school student-athletes in Houston, Texas.

    PubMed

    Miller, Michael B; Johnson, Cleverick D; Cooley, Ralph A; Sharp, Holly; Servos, Thomas A

    2016-01-01

    This survey recorded utilization levels of stock and custom mouthguards among middle and high school athletes in a US metropolitan area and gathered data on the prevalence of traumatic injuries that have occurred as a consequence of school-based athletic competition. The data also included reasons for the athletes' noncompliance. A 23-question, online survey form was developed. A geographically diverse list of public and private schools in the Houston metropolitan area was identified and included 30 public middle schools, 32 public high schools, 8 private middle schools, and 10 private high schools. The sports surveyed were baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball, and wrestling. Only 1 private middle school participated. Only 5 of 32 public high schools and 1 private high school participated, representing response rates of 16% and 10%, respectively. Overall, there were 503 responses, and 56% of the respondents did not have a mouthguard. Among athletes who owned a mouthguard, most (70%) had stock versions purchased in a retail store, while 11% had a custom mouthguard fabricated by a dentist, and 19% had both types. The most frequent reasons cited for not wearing a mouthguard were forgetting to use it and a lack of comfort. The injury rates reported by respondents in the stock and custom mouthguard groups were 26% and 9%, respectively. A consistent, concerted effort by local dental societies should be aimed at school administrators and coaches to encourage enforcement or reinforcement of mouthguard usage policies among high school athletes, but, ultimately, parents need to step up to protect their children.

  19. [Distribution and main influential factors of mental workload of middle school teachers in Nanchang City].

    PubMed

    Xiao, Yuanmei; Li, Weijuan; Ren, Qingfeng; Ren, Xiaohui; Wang, Zhiming; Wang, Mianzhen; Lan, Yajia

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the distribution and main influential factors of mental workload of middle school teachers in Nanchang City. A total of 504 middle school teachers were sampled by random cluster sampling from middle schools in Nanchang City, and the mental workload level was assessed with National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) which was verified in reliability and validity. The mental workload scores of middle school teachers in Nanchang was approximately normal distribution. The mental workload level of middle school teachers aged 31 -35 years old was the highest. For those no more than 35 years old, there was positive correlation between mental workload and age (r = 0.146, P < 0.05). For those more than 35 years old, the levels of their mental workload had no statistically significant difference. There was a negative correlation between mental workload and educational level(r = -0.172, P < 0.05). The middle school teachers with lower educational level seemed to have a higher mental workload (P < 0.01). The longer a middle school teacher worked per day, the higher the mental workload was. Working hours per day was the most influential factor on mental workload in all influential factors (P < 0.001). Mental workload of middle school teachers was closely related to age, educational level and work hours per day. Working hours per day was the important risk factor of mental workload. Reducing working hours per day, especially reducing it to be no more than 8 hours per day, may be a significant and useful approach alleviating mental workload of middle school teachers in Nanchang City.

  20. The Baltimore City Schools Middle School STEM Summer Program with VEX Robotics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mac Iver, Martha Abele; Mac Iver, Douglas J.

    2015-01-01

    In 2011 Baltimore City Schools submitted a successful proposal for an Investing in Innovations (i3) grant to offer a three year (2012-2014) summer program designed to expose rising sixth through eighth grade students to VEX robotics. The i3-funded Middle School Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Summer Learning Program was…

  1. Median Middle School: Striving to Rise above Average

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moon, Jodi Saxton

    2016-01-01

    This case was developed for use with future school leaders in an educational setting. There are several topics of discussion that can be developed, including but not limited to policy implementation, the efficacy of professional learning communities, and improving student learning outcomes. The setting is a solidly performing middle school in the…

  2. Motivation and Achievement of Middle School Mathematics Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herges, Rebecca M.; Duffield, Stacy; Martin, William; Wageman, Justin

    2017-01-01

    Mathematics achievement among K-12 students has been a long-standing concern in schools across the United States. A possible solution to this mathematics achievement problem is student motivation. A survey was administered to 65 mathematics students at a Midwestern middle school to determine their beliefs and attitudes related to motivation and…

  3. Kagan Cooperative Learning Model and Mathematics Achievement of Economically Disadvantaged Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mourning, Erica

    2014-01-01

    Economically disadvantaged students are being outperformed by their non-disadvantaged peers in middle school mathematics. This problem is evidenced by 2013 data from a national middle school mathematics assessment which revealed an achievement gap of 27 scale score points. Closing this gap is important to schools with high populations of…

  4. Lost Opportunities: The Status of Science Education in California Middle Schools. CenterView

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd, 2012

    2012-01-01

    California's middle schools have a critical role to play in furthering their students' pursuit of science learning, in high school and beyond. The rapidly changing economy, advances in technology, and the press of global challenges only increase the importance of this responsibility. The potential is there for California's middle schools to…

  5. Lessons from the Middle: High-End Learning for Middle School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaplan, Sandra

    This book provides 12 theme-based model lessons for gifted students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Introductory material addresses ways to integrate middle school curricula with established national standards and principles of differentiated curriculum. Each lesson follows a five-part outline: (1)motivation (stimulating the learner); (2) input (providing…

  6. Perceived Competence in Addressing Student Substance Abuse: A National Survey of Middle School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burrow-Sanchez, Jason J.; Lopez, Adriana L.; Slagle, Clark P.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Student substance abuse is a serious concern for middle school personnel. School counselors are most likely to deliver mental health services, including substance abuse, in school settings. However, limited research is available on the perceived competence of middle school counselors for addressing student substance abuse concerns. The…

  7. Observations of the Middle School Environment: The Context for Student Behavior beyond the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rusby, Julie C.; Crowley, Ryann; Sprague, Jeffrey; Biglan, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the use of an observation system to measure middle school staff practices, environment characteristics, and student behavior in the school common areas. Data were collected at baseline from 18 middle schools participating in a randomized controlled trial of school-wide Positive Behavior Support. The observations were…

  8. AP as an Intervention for Middle School Hispanic Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kettler, Todd; Shiu, Alexandra; Johnsen, Susan K.

    2006-01-01

    This article focuses on two education-related factors that appear to contribute to the schooling aspirations and self-efficacy of Hispanic youth: (1) sense of belonging at school; and (2) composition of the student's peer group. In particular, middle school students whose home language was Spanish were given an opportunity to participate in the…

  9. Solar cell and photonics outreach for middle school students and teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gilchrist, Pamela O.; Alexander, Alonzo B.

    2017-08-01

    This paper will describe the curriculum development process employed to develop a solar cell and photonics curriculum unit for students underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Information will explain how the curriculum unit was piloted with middle and high school teachers from public schools in North Carolina, high school students from underrepresented groups in an informal science program, and workshop settings. Measures used to develop the curriculum materials for middle school students will be presented along with program findings documenting students' urban versus rural interest in STEM, career aspirations, and 21st century learning skills in informal learning settings.

  10. Reversing the Underachievement of Gifted Middle School Students: Lessons from Another Field

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ritchotte, Jennifer; Rubenstein, Lisa; Murry, Francie

    2015-01-01

    Underachievement often begins in middle school for gifted students. Unfortunately, there is no single intervention that will ameliorate underachievement for all gifted students. To date, interventions aimed at reversing the underachieving behaviors of gifted middle school students have been inconsistent and inconclusive. To create an effective…

  11. Student Theater Confronts Controversy to Create Safer Middle School Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shollenberger, Kathy

    2007-01-01

    In middle schools, teachers and administrators talk quite a lot about changing school climate. Because the age is a difficult one, the adult vision of change can vary: a school without bullies, without homophobia or sexism or racism, a school in which students take the lead, a school which functions as a genuine community. This is important…

  12. Using the Internet in Middle Schools: A Model for Success. A Collaborative Effort between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Addessio, Barbara K.; And Others

    Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) developed a model for school networking using Los Alamos Middle School as a testbed. The project was a collaborative effort between the school and the laboratory. The school secured administrative funding for hardware and software; and LANL provided the network architecture, installation, consulting, and…

  13. Middle School Mathematics: 2006-07 to 2008-09. Impact Evaluation. E&R Report No. 10.11

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paeplow, Colleen

    2010-01-01

    In 2006-07, seven Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) middle schools piloted Algebraic Thinking as an alternate approach to teaching middle school mathematics. Algebraic Thinking was developed to help students in grade 6 reach higher mathematics courses by combining the regular and advanced middle school mathematics courses into one…

  14. Differences in Stress and Social Support among Students Entering Urban, Urban Fringe, or Suburban Middle Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wenz-Gross, Melodie; Parker, Robin

    Noting that both stress and social support play an important role in middle school students' adjustment and motivation for school, two studies compared the stress and social support experienced by students entering middle school in different settings. The two studies of middle school students included overlapping measures of stress, social…

  15. Patterns of Change in Adolescent Dating Victimization and Aggression During Middle School.

    PubMed

    Goncy, Elizabeth A; Farrell, Albert D; Sullivan, Terri N

    2018-03-01

    Although mounting evidence suggests dating victimization and aggression begin in early adolescence, little work has examined the pattern of these behaviors across this age. This longitudinal study examined trajectories of dating victimization and aggression across middle school using 12 waves of data. A sample of early adolescents (N = 1369, 52.3% girls; 83% African American; 15% Hispanic or Latino) residing in an urban, economically disadvantaged area participated in this study. Youth completed measures of dating victimization and aggression quarterly across the 3 years of middle school. Although results indicated a general trend of increasing dating victimization and aggression across middle school, variation existed for boys and girls. Specifically, girls showed increasing patterns of both, whereas boys remained relatively stable across time. Dating victimization and aggression were also highly correlated across time. These findings support the implementation and refinement of prevention programming aimed at preventing and reducing dating aggression and victimization in middle school.

  16. Associations between parental limits, school vending machine purchases, and soft drink consumption among Kentucky middle school students.

    PubMed

    Nickelson, Jen; Roseman, Mary G; Forthofer, Melinda S

    2010-01-01

    To examine associations between parental limits on soft drinks and purchasing soft drinks from school vending machines and consuming soft drinks among middle school students. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Eight public middle schools in central Kentucky. All sixth- through eighth-grade students in 7 schools and all eighth-grade students in 1 school (n = 4,049). Self-reported parental limits on soft drink intake, school vending machine soft drink purchases, soft drink consumption, and control variables. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses. Compared to students with no parental limits on soft drink consumption, students with the strictest limits were less likely to purchase soft drinks from school vending machines and consume soft drinks; conversely, students with minor parental limitations were more likely to consume soft drinks. The odds of consuming soft drinks were nearly 4 times greater when students purchased soft drinks from school vending machines than when they did not. Further research may enhance understanding of the influence of varying degrees of parental limitations. Efforts to reduce children's soft drink consumption may be augmented by policies limiting soft drink purchases in schools. Copyright 2010 Society for Nutrition Education. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Relative Strengths of Predictors of Middle School Girls' Suspendable Offenses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanaugh, Barbara Harlow

    2009-01-01

    This study determines the relative strength of predictors of school violence among a sample of 229 girls enrolled in a single middle school. The four-part questionnaire, comprising sociodemographic items, a school violence inventory, a self-esteem scale, and an attitudes toward violence scale, measured school violence in terms of suspendable…

  18. Later Start, Longer Sleep: Implications of Middle School Start Times

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Temkin, Deborah A.; Princiotta, Daniel; Ryberg, Renee; Lewin, Daniel S.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Although adolescents generally get less than the recommended 9 hours of sleep per night, research and effort to delay school start times have generally focused on high schools. This study assesses the relation between school start times and sleep in middle school students while accounting for potentially confounding demographic…

  19. Melvin at Eliot Hine Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-03-01

    Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut, is interviewed by sixth grade students from the Broadcast Media Class at Eliot Hine Middle School on Friday, March 1, 2013 in Washington. The radio club program, Eliot Hine Radio, is broadcast live on the internet. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

  20. Melvin at Eliot Hine Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-03-01

    Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut, addresses an assembly at Eliot Hine Middle School in celebration of Black History Month on Friday, March 1, 2013 in Washington. Melvin spoke about his journey to become a NASA astronaut stressing education as key. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

  1. Predictors of scientific understanding of middle school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strate, Joshua Matthew

    The purpose of this study was to determine if middle school student scientific understanding could be predicted by the variables: standardized 5th grade score in science, standardized 5th grade score in mathematics, standardized 5th grade score in reading, student attitude towards science, socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnicity. The areas of the comprehensive literature review were trends in science learning and teaching, research in the K-12 science education arena, what factors have influenced K-12 science education, scientific understanding, what research has been done on K-12 scientific understanding, and what factors have influenced science understanding in the K-12 arenas. Based on the results of the literature review, the researcher of this study examined a sample of middle school 8th grade students. An Attitude Towards Science Survey (SATS) Simpson & Oliver (1990) and a Survey of Scientific Understandings (Klapper, DeLucia, & Trent, 1993) were administered to these 116 middle school 8th grade students drawn from a total population of 1109 who attend this middle school in a typical county in Florida during the 2010- 2011 school year. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test each sub-hypothesis and to provide a model that attempted to predict student scientific understanding. Seven null sub-hypotheses were formed to determine if there were significant relationships between student scientific understanding and the abovementioned variables. The results of the tests of the seven null sub-hypotheses showed that the sub-hypothesis that involved socioeconomic status was rejected, which indicated that the socioeconomic status of a family does influence the level of scientific understanding of a student. Low SES students performed lower on the scientific understanding survey, on average, than high SES students. This study can be a source of information for teachers in low-income schools by recognizing potential areas of concern for low

  2. A Phenomenological Examination of Middle School African American Adolescent Men's Experiences with Professional School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington, Ahmad Rashad

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative study was conducted with a sample of five (5) middle school African American adolescent men from two different schools in the same school district to explore their perceptions of and experiences with their professional school counselors. Phenomenological qualitative methodology was used to complete this study. To gather research…

  3. An Electrical Engineering Summer Academy for Middle School and High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LoPresti, Peter G.; Manikas, Theodore W.; Kohlbeck, Jeff G.

    2010-01-01

    An Electrical Engineering Summer Academy for Pre-College Students was held at the University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, during the summers of 2007 and 2008. The Academy participants included students having just completed 7th to 11th grade and teachers from middle school through high school. The students and teachers participated in team-building,…

  4. Examining the Relationship between Classroom Climate and Student Achievement of Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barksdale, Christopher J.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this sequential mixed method study was to examine the relationship between classroom climate and student achievement of middle school students. This study included a review of data collected from the Learning Environment Inventory from a purposeful sample of middle school students from a large suburban school district. A purposeful…

  5. Inservice Elementary and Middle School Teachers' Conceptions of Photosynthesis and Respiration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krall, Rebecca Mcnall; Lott, Kimberly H.; Wymer, Carol L.

    2009-02-01

    The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate inservice elementary and middle school teachers’ conceptions of photosynthesis and respiration, basic concepts they are expected to teach. A forced-choice instrument assessing selected standards-based life science concepts with non-scientific conceptions embedded in distracter options was utilized to assess 76 inservice elementary and middle school teachers from the central Appalachian region. Outcomes from four tasks assessing photosynthesis and respiration concepts are discussed. Findings revealed similarities between non-scientific conceptions the teachers demonstrated and non-scientific conceptions reported in the research literature on elementary and middle school students’ understanding of the concepts. Findings also informed subsequent inservice teacher professional development efforts in life science and the development of a biology course for preservice elementary teachers.

  6. Effects of a Teacher Professional Development Program on the Mathematics Achievement of Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sample McMeeking, Laura B.; Orsi, Rebecca; Cobb, R. Brian

    2012-01-01

    The effect of a 15- to 24-month in-service professional development (PD) program on state accountability mathematics test scores for middle school students was examined using a quasi-experimental design. Middle level mathematics teachers (n = 128) from 7 school districts and 64 middle schools volunteered for a PD sequence of content-oriented…

  7. Science Achievement and Self-Efficacy among Middle School Age Children as Related to Student Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, William; Sottile, James M., Jr.; Carter, Jennifer

    The purpose of this research was to document the relationship among student development, science achievement, and self-efficacy among middle school students. A novel survey was created to determine the self-efficacy levels of the middle school students. The middle school students were also administered two novel content quizzes in the area of…

  8. Examining Middle School Students' Views on Text Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Semerci, Ali

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to examine middle school students' views on text bullying in regard to gender, grade level, reactions to bullying and frequency of internet use. The participating 872 students were selected through simple random sampling method among 525 schools located in central Ankara. The data were collected via a questionnaire and a survey…

  9. Opportunities for extracurricular physical activity in North Carolina middle schools.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Michael B; Kanters, Michael A; Bocarro, Jason N

    2011-07-01

    This study's purpose was to assess the opportunities for North Carolina adolescents to be physically active in extracurricular middle school environments and to compare opportunities across community types. Data were analyzed based on the results of an electronic questionnaire distributed to a sample of 431 schools with a response rate of 75.4% (N = 325). Nearly all schools offered interscholastic sports while fewer than half offered intramurals or noncompetitive activities to students. "Open gym" was offered at only 35% of schools, while 24% of schools offered extracurricular activities to students with disabilities. Overall, 43.4% of schools offered special transportation to students who participated in some extracurricular physical activities. Schools in rural areas generally offered fewer programs and had fewer supports than schools located in more urbanized areas. Over two-thirds of rural schools offered no extracurricular programs other than interscholastic sports. Schools can be important settings for physical activity. North Carolina's middle schools and its rural schools in particular, are falling short in efforts to provide extracurricular physical activity programming recommended by researchers and policy groups. Lower accessibility to extracurricular physical activities may partially contribute to higher levels of physical inactivity found in the state.

  10. The development of science achievement in middle and high school. Individual differences and school effects.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jesse L M

    2002-08-01

    Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), hierarchical linear models (HLMs) were used to model the growth of student science achievement in three areas (biology, physical science, and environmental science) during middle and high school. Results showed significant growth in science achievement across all areas. The growth was quadratic across all areas, with rapid growth at the beginning grades of middle school but slow growth at the ending grades of high school. At the student level, socioeconomic status (SES) and age were related to the rate of growth in all areas. There were no gender differences in the rate of growth in any of the three areas. At the school level, variables associated with school context (school mean SES and school size) and variables associated with school climate (principal leadership, academic expectation, and teacher autonomy) were related to the growth in science achievement. Initial (Grade 7) status in science achievement was not associated with the rate of growth in science achievement among either students or schools in any of the three areas.

  11. Students' Perception of School Violence and Math Achievement in Middle Schools of Southern Italy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caputo, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at both investigating bullying episodes occurring at school across different grades (from 6 to 8) and evaluating whether educational achievement in math can be predicted on the ground of students' perception of school violence. The sample was composed of 11,064 students coming from middle schools of Southern Italy. Standardized…

  12. Stuck in the Middle: Career Progress, Motivation, and Engagement among Urban Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brogan, Deirdre T.

    2010-01-01

    The process of educational and vocational development does not occur at a single point in time. Many indicators of dropping out of high school, for example, are present by middle school (Alexander et al., 1997; Balfanz et al., 2007). Yet, research and practice focus almost exclusively on enriching the learning and work experiences of high school…

  13. Increasing Middle School Student Interest in STEM Careers with Videos of Scientists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wyss, Vanessa L.; Heulskamp, Diane; Siebert, Cathy J.

    2012-01-01

    Students are making choices in middle school that will impact their desire and ability to pursue STEM careers. Providing middle school students with accurate information about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers enables them to make more knowledgeable choices about courses of study and career paths. Practical ways of…

  14. An Empirical Investigation of Digital Cheating and Plagiarism among Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Hongyan; Lu, Eric Yong; Turner, Sandra; Wan, Guofang

    2007-01-01

    What are middle school students' attitudes toward digital cheating and plagiarism? To answer the question, an empirical study was conducted in three middle schools using multiple focus groups and interviews. Students participated in the focus groups, and teachers, and parents participated in interviews. The study found that peer culture…

  15. Middle School Teachers' Expectations of Organizational Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMullen, Rebecca C.; Shippen, Margaret E.; Dangel, Harry L.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the specific classroom organizational behaviors that middle school inclusive teachers report as expectations for students with learning disabilities. Practicing middle school science and social studies teachers (n = 12) responded to a survey about organization behaviors of students with learning…

  16. Middle School Configuration Relationship with Eighth Grade Achievement with Administrator Perceptions of Strengths and Weaknesses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Billings, Tawny J.

    2014-01-01

    This mixed-method research study sought to investigate the relationship between middle school configuration and the academic achievement of eighth grade students in English Language Arts (ELA) and Algebra 1. The California Content Standards exam scores of 646 elementary middle schools (K-8) and 1,282 traditional middle schools (6-8, 7-8) in…

  17. Technology-Based Inquiry for Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christmann, Edwin

    2006-01-01

    Activities featured in this new compendium--a collection of 26 articles published in Science Scope, NSTA's member journal for middle school teachers--will show how. Technology-Based Inquiry offers fresh approaches that teachers and students can use to explore physical science, Earth and space science, life science, and more. It covers the…

  18. Melvin at Eliot Hine Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-03-01

    Leland Melvin (on stage), NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut, addresses an assembly at Eliot Hine Middle School in celebration of Black History Month on Friday, March 1, 2013 in Washington. Melvin spoke about his journey to become a NASA astronaut stressing education as key. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

  19. Arranging Musicals for Middle School Voices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bobetsky, Victor

    2005-01-01

    Middle school choral students and their teachers can benefit from studying and performing a musical. The students can apply their vocal skills to the exploration of this important genre of American music. Outstanding chores members will have opportunities to perform as soloists and to master dramatic roles. The teachers can express themselves…

  20. Elementary/Middle School Keyboarding Strategies Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Business Education Association, Reston, VA.

    Developed through a cooperative effort of many teachers and researchers, this guide is intended to supplement existing elementary and middle school materials on keyboarding. The guide contains sections that are designed for stand-alone use. Topics cover a wide range of strategies, including teaching special needs students. The U.S. Postal Service…

  1. A Community-Based Volunteer After-School Activity Program Created for Middle School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greaser, Thomas C., Jr.

    This practicum was designed to provide an after-school activity program to middle school students not engaged in interscholastic sports. Utilizing community volunteers, an enrichment-prevention program that featured 19 different activities in 2 class sessions per week over a 10-week period was developed and implemented. Activities included…

  2. Principals' instructional management skills and middle school science teacher job satisfaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibbs-Harper, Nzinga A.

    The purpose of this research study was to determine if a relationship exists between teachers' perceptions of principals' instructional leadership behaviors and middle school teacher job satisfaction. Additionally, this study sought to assess whether principal's instructional leadership skills were predictors of middle school teachers' satisfaction with work itself. This study drew from 13 middle schools in an urban Mississippi school district. Participants included teachers who taught science. Each teacher was given the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS; Hallinger, 2011) and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ; Lester, 1987) to answer the research questions. The study was guided by two research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between the independent variables Defining the School's Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Developing the School Learning Climate Program and the dependent variable Work Itself?; (b) Are Defining the School's Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Developing the School Learning Climate Program predictors of Work Itself? The Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis were utilized to examine the relationship between the three dimensions of principals' instructional leadership and teacher satisfaction with work itself. The data revealed that there was a strong, positive correlation between all three dimensions of principals' instructional leadership and teacher satisfaction with work itself. However, the multiple regression analysis determined that teachers' perceptions of principals' instructional management skills is a slight predictor of Defining the School's Mission only.

  3. Psychosocial Factors Associated with Smoking Intention in Korean Male Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ra, Jin Suk; Cho, Yoon Hee

    2017-01-01

    This study examined psychosocial factors influencing smoking intention in Korean male middle school students. We used a descriptive cross-sectional design, based on the biopsychosocial model, to analyze data from 309 male adolescents aged 14-16 years in middle school. Of the psychological factors examined, stress and risk-taking tendency were…

  4. Are Boys Left Behind? The Evolution of the Gender Achievement Gap in Beijing's Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lai, Fang

    2010-01-01

    Using one cohort of 7235 middle school students in Beijing, China, we examined the evolution of the gender achievement gap in middle school. Our study found a more significant female dominance than in U.S. studies: even though boys gradually caught up during middle school, especially in Math and Science, and the gender achievement gap decreased…

  5. Patterns of Individual Adjustment Changes During Middle School Transition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, HyunHee; Elias, Maurice; Schneider, Kenneth

    1998-01-01

    Examines the patterns of individual adjustment changes in a sample of 99 early adolescents during an ecological transition from elementary school to middle school. Shows significant changes in adjustment as indicated by increased psychological distress or decreased academic achievement. Examines gender differences. Presents implications for…

  6. Interactions between Classroom Discourse, Teacher Questioning, and Student Cognitive Engagement in Middle School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smart, Julie B.; Marshall, Jeff C.

    2013-01-01

    Classroom discourse can affect various aspects of student learning in science. The present study examines interactions between classroom discourse, specifically teacher questioning, and related student cognitive engagement in middle school science. Observations were conducted throughout the school year in 10 middle school science classrooms using…

  7. Family-School Connections and the Transitions of Low-Income Youth and English Language Learners from Middle School into High School

    PubMed Central

    Crosnoe, Robert

    2010-01-01

    The theoretical and policy focus on parental involvement in education has evolved into a consideration of two-way connections between families and schools. Working from a social capital perspective emphasizing the importance of information in periods and domains of uncertainty, this study tested a specific application of this reconceptualization. Multilevel models of the National Education Longitudinal Study (n = 17,899) revealed that youth started high school in higher-level math when parents, middle school personnel, and high school personnel were in contact with each other and when middle school personnel bridged the other two. The observed effects of other family-school patterns on math and of all family-school patterns on science were driven by selection, including adolescents' characteristics selecting them into different family-school configurations. Importantly, multiple forms of family-school communication were related to reduced income and language disparities in math and science coursework, regardless of their associations with coursework in the general population. PMID:19586180

  8. Art Teaching: Elementary through Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szekely, George; Bucknam, Julie Alsip

    2011-01-01

    "Art Teaching" speaks to a new generation of art teachers in a changing society and fresh art world. Comprehensive and up-to-date, it presents fundamental theories, principles, creative approaches, and resources for art teaching in elementary through middle-school. Key sections focus on how children make art, why they make art, the unique…

  9. Teachers' Perceptions of a Four-Teacher Team Model in the Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chavarria, George A.

    2010-01-01

    One middle school recently adopted a team teaching model as a result of principal directive in order to improve staff communication and better serve students. Because seventh and eighth grade teachers had never been teamed in this particular middle school, research was needed to investigate how teaming was implemented and how these teachers…

  10. A Middle School Teacher's Guide for Selecting Picture Books

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costello, Bill; Kolodziej, Nancy J.

    2006-01-01

    The use of picture books as supplementary material for middle level classrooms is becoming more common. Picture books are being created specifically to address the needs and interests of middle school students. Society is becoming more visually oriented and the visual format of picture books appeals to adolescents, who today are exposed to various…

  11. Food use in middle and high school fundraising: does policy support healthful practice? Results from a survey of Minnesota school principals.

    PubMed

    Kubik, Martha Y; Lytle, Leslie A; Farbakhsh, Kian; Moe, Stacey; Samuelson, Anne

    2009-07-01

    This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to examine classroom, school-wide, and club/sports teams fundraising policies and practices of middle and high schools; concordance between policy and practice; and associations between healthful policy/practice scores and selected school characteristics. In 2006, principals/designees of middle (n=45) and high (n=71) schools in the St Paul/Minneapolis, MN, metropolitan area completed a self-administered mailed survey. Schools were attended by a convenience sample of students (n=349) participating in a longitudinal measurement study of children and their environments to assess obesity-related factors. Descriptive statistics, chi(2) tests, and multivariate linear regression were used to examine variables and associations of interest. Across schools, 50% had policies addressing the nutrient quality of food and drink items used in fundraising or disallowed food use for fundraising. About one third used chocolate, candy, and high-fat baked goods for classroom and school-wide fundraising; 60% sold these items for club/sports teams fundraising. More middle than high schools reported healthful fundraising policies or practices, as well as greater concordance between policies and practices. For all fundraising activities, high schools had significantly lower healthful policy/practice scores than middle schools (P<0.01). For school-wide fundraising, scores were significantly lower for public than private schools (P=0.02). Policies to regulate food used for fundraising were common and most supported healthful practice, particularly in middle schools. However, use of foods high in fat and added sugars remains a prevalent fundraising practice, especially in high schools and for club/sports teams, and requires additional attention.

  12. Effect of Retention in Elementary Grades on Transition to Middle School

    PubMed Central

    Im, Myung Hee; Hughes, Jan H.; Kwok, Oi-man; Puckett, Stevie; Cerdia, Carissa Analise

    2013-01-01

    The authors investigated the effects of retention in grades 1 to 5 on students’ reading and math achievement, teacher-rated engagement, and student-reported school belonging in middle school. From a multiethnic sample (N = 784) of children who scored below the median on a test of literacy in grade 1, an average of 75 students subsequently retained in grades 1 to 5 were matched with an average of 299 continuously promoted students on the basis of propensity to be retained in the elementary grades. A total of 20 imputed datasets were analyzed, all of which showed good balance across the 67 baseline covariates used to calculate propensity scores. The hypothesis that retained students, who are “old for grade” when they make the transition to middle school, would have a more difficult transition to middle school than promoted peers was tested with 3-level, piecewise growth modeling. Piece 1 included assessments prior to the transition to middle school, and piece 2 included assessments after the transition. Retained and continuously promoted students did not differ on any of the outcome measures during the year prior to transition, nor did they differ in their post-transition trajectories. Discrepancies between these results and results of prior research are discussed in terms of demographic and generational differences as well as differences in methodological rigor. PMID:23816229

  13. Investigating the Association between Home-School Dissonance and Disruptive Classroom Behaviors for Urban Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tyler, Kenneth M.; Burris, Jennifer L.; Coleman, Sean T.

    2018-01-01

    Disruptive classroom behaviors are a major schooling dilemma in urban schools. While several contextual and motivational factors have been statistically associated with disruptive classroom behaviors, one overlooked factor has been home-school dissonance. The current study examined the relationship between 260 middle school students' reports of…

  14. Examining Differences in Middle School Student Achievement on a Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rich, Jamie; Duncan, Dennis W.; Navarro, Maria; Ricketts, John C.

    2009-01-01

    Many authors have posited that agricultural education curriculum in middle schools may enhance student performance in science. To determine the effect that agricultural education curriculum has upon Georgia middle schools' student performance in science, this descriptive study compared science knowledge among middle school students in Georgia who…

  15. Middle School Injuries: A 20-Year (1988–2008) Multisport Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Beachy, Glenn; Rauh, Mitchell

    2014-01-01

    Context: Data on the incidence of injury in middle school sports are limited. Objective: To describe overall, practice, and game injury rate patterns in 29 middle school sports. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Injury data collected over a 20-year period (1988–2008) at a single school. Patients or Other Participants: Boy (n = 8078) and girl (n = 5960) athletes participating in 14 and 15 middle school sports, respectively. Main Outcome Measure(s): Injury status and athlete-exposures (AEs) were collected by certified athletic trainers. Incidence rates per 1000 AEs (injuries/AEs) were calculated for overall incidence, practices and games, injury location, injury type, and injury severity (time lost from participation). Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare injury rates for sex-matched sports. Results: Football had the highest injury rate for all injuries (16.03/1000 AEs) and for time-loss injuries (8.486/1000 AEs). In matched middle school sports, girls exhibited a higher injury rate for all injuries (7.686/1000 AEs, RR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.2) and time-loss injuries (2.944/1000 AEs, RR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.0, 1.2) than boys (all injuries: 6.684/1000 AEs, time-loss injuries: 2.702/1000 AEs). Girls had a higher injury rate during practices (3.30/1000 AEs) than games (1.67/1000 AEs, RR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.7, 2.4) for all sports. Only gymnastics (RR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.3, 3.8) had a higher game injury rate for girls. Practice and game injury rates were nearly identical for boys in all sports (RR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.9, 1.1). Only football (RR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.4, 0.6) and boys' wrestling (RR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.3, 0.8) reported higher game injury rates. Tendinitis injuries accounted for 19.1% of all middle school injuries. Conclusions: The risk for sport-related injury at the middle school level was greater during practices than games and greater for girls than boys in sex-matched sports. Conditioning programs may be

  16. Life Skills Training for Middle and High School Students with Autism.

    PubMed

    Chiang, Hsu-Min; Ni, Xinyu; Lee, Young-Sun

    2017-04-01

    This study investigated the extent to which life skills training was offered to middle and high school students with autism and life skills training needs after high school. A secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Training Study-2 (NLTS-2) data was conducted in this study. This study found that the majority of the middle and high school students with autism (77.4%) had received life skills training in school. Receipt of life skills training differed across students' gender, age, diagnosis of intellectual disability, and functional mental skills. Students received life skills training in general education classrooms, special education classrooms, individual instruction, and community settings. Life skills training was needed for the majority of the high school leavers with autism (78%).

  17. Beyond Blackboards: Engaging Underserved Middle School Students in Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blanchard, Sarah; Judy, Justina; Muller, Chandra; Crawford, Richard H.; Petrosino, Anthony J.; Christina K. White,; Lin, Fu-An; Wood, Kristin L.

    2015-01-01

    "Beyond Blackboards" is an inquiry-centered, after-school program designed to enhance middle school students' engagement with engineering through design-based experiences focused on the 21st Century Engineering Challenges. Set within a predominantly lowincome, majority-minority community, our study aims to investigate the impact of…

  18. School Restructuring: A Study of the Role of Parents in Selected Accelerated Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Betty M.

    This paper presents findings of a study that examined the change process involved when four elementary schools implemented the accelerated schools model. Specifically, the study focused on transitions in parental roles that occurred when the schools changed from a conventional mode of organization to a participatory mode. The case study data were…

  19. Effect of a Laptop Initiative on Middle School Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Edna Earl White

    2014-01-01

    In the wake of No Child Left Behind, schools continue to be evaluated according to standardized test results. Researchers suggest that technology can assist students with development and school achievement. While laptop initiative (LI) technology was being implemented by South Carolina districts in the middle schools classrooms, educational…

  20. Changes in academic adjustment and relational self-worth across the transition to middle school.

    PubMed

    Ryan, Allison M; Shim, Sungok Serena; Makara, Kara A

    2013-09-01

    Moving from elementary to middle school is a time of great transition for many early adolescents. The present study examined students' academic adjustment and relational self-worth at 6-month intervals for four time points spanning the transition from elementary school to middle school (N = 738 at time 1; 53 % girls; 54 % African American, 46 % European American). Grade point average (G.P.A.), intrinsic value for schoolwork, self-worth around teachers, and self-worth around friends were examined at every time point. The overall developmental trajectory indicated that G.P.A. and intrinsic value for schoolwork declined. The overall decline in G.P.A. was due to changes at the transition and across the first year in middle school. Intrinsic value declined across all time points. Self-worth around teachers was stable. The developmental trends were the same regardless of gender or ethnicity except for self-worth around friends, which was stable for European American students and increased for African American students due to an ascent at the transition into middle school. Implications for the education of early adolescents in middle schools are discussed.

  1. Middle Schools Preparing Young People for 21st Century Life and Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kay, Ken

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the author describes how middle schools can prepare young people for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Integrating 21st century skills deliberately and systematically into middle school education will empower educators to accomplish many of the elusive goals they have tried to reach for years. Twenty-first…

  2. India: A Myriad of Cultures. Three Learning Modules for Middle School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jassim, Charlene

    Three learning modules designed for middle school students by a middle school teacher are presented in this document. The three modules are designed to supplement the regular textbook program for teaching about India. They are specifically created to fulfill the needs and interests of 11- to 14-year-old students. The modules contain elements of…

  3. Social Withdrawal, Peer Rejection, and Peer Victimization in Taiwanese Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wei, Hsi-Sheng; Chen, Ji-Kang

    2009-01-01

    This study aims to examine the relationships between social withdrawal, peer rejection and peer victimization among Taiwanese middle school students as well as to explore the applicability of relevant models in an East Asia culture context. The sample of this study consists of 219 7th grade students from middle schools in Taiwan. Data from…

  4. The Last Word: An Interview with Gene Chasin, CEO of Accelerated Schools Plus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siegle, Del

    2006-01-01

    This article presents an interview with Gene Chasin, CEO of Accelerated Schools Plus. Chasin discusses changing schools and improving student achievement. Accelerated Schools is a national endeavor that is designed to transform whole school communities. It views the community as being much broader. It includes students, teachers, parents, other…

  5. Transitioning from Elementary School to Middle School: The Ecology of Black Males' Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mundy, Alma Christienne

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed method study is to explain the ecology Black males experience as they transition from elementary school to middle school in terms of behavior. The Black male graduation rate is well below 50% nationally (Orfield, Losen, Wald, & Swanson, 2004; Schott Foundation for Public Education, 2010). Graduating from high school…

  6. Parents’ Perspectives on Family Sexuality Communication from Middle School to High School

    PubMed Central

    Grossman, Jennifer M.; Jenkins, Lisa J.; Richer, Amanda M.

    2018-01-01

    Parents’ conversations with teens about sex and relationships can play a critical role in improving teenage reproductive health by reducing teens’ risky sexual behavior. However, little is known about how teen-parent communication changes from early to middle adolescence and how parents can tailor their communication to address their teens’ changing development and experiences during these periods. In this longitudinal qualitative study, U.S. parents (N = 23) participated in interviews when their teens were in early adolescence, then again when the teens were in middle adolescence. Participants were largely mothers and were from diverse racial/ethnic and educational backgrounds. Thematic analysis was used to assess continuity and change in parents’ perceptions of teen-parent communication. Findings showed that many parents adapted their conversations with their teens about sex and relationships as teens developed. Once teens had entered high school, more parents described feeling comfortable with their conversations. However, parents also more often reported that their teens responded negatively to the communication in high school than they had in middle school. These findings may help parents to anticipate their own as well as their teens’ responses to family conversations about sex at different developmental time points and to strategize how to effectively talk with their teens about sex and relationships to improve their teens’ overall reproductive health. PMID:29320447

  7. White Teachers' Reactions to the Racial Treatment of Middle-School Black Boys

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Battle, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative exploratory study, informed by grounded theory, used questionnaires and unstructured interviews based on fictionalized vignettes to examine urban, public, middle-school White teachers' attitudes about middle-school Black boys, questioning whether and how such attitudes might influence classroom interactions. Twenty-four…

  8. Biotechnology in the Middle School Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, De Ann

    2007-01-01

    Biotechnology is a fairly new concept for middle school students as well as teachers. If the latest craze of TV shows focused on crime scene investigation events were not so popular, the term and concept might be even obscure to the public. There is an increased presence of biotechnology in our daily surroundings that makes it practical and…

  9. Food choice, plate waste and nutrient intake of elementary- and middle-school students participating in the US National School Lunch Program.

    PubMed

    Smith, Stephanie L; Cunningham-Sabo, Leslie

    2014-06-01

    To (i) evaluate food choices and consumption patterns of elementary- and middle-school students who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and (ii) compare students' average nutrient intake from lunch with NSLP standards. Plate waste from elementary- and middle-school students' lunch trays was measured in autumn 2010 using a previously validated digital photography method. Percentage waste was estimated to the nearest 10 % for the entrée, canned fruit, fresh fruit, vegetable, grain and milk. Univariate ANOVA determined differences in percentage waste between schools, grades and genders. Daily nutrient intake was calculated using the district's menu analysis and percentage waste. Elementary and middle schools in northern Colorado (USA). Students, grades 1-8. Plate waste was estimated from 899 lunch trays; 535 elementary- and 364 middle-school students. Only 45 % of elementary- and 34 % middle-school students selected a vegetable. Elementary-school students wasted more than a third of grain, fruit and vegetable menu items. Middle-school students left nearly 50 % of fresh fruit, 37 % of canned fruit and nearly a third of vegetables unconsumed. Less than half of the students met the national meal standards for vitamins A and C, or Fe. Few students' lunch consumption met previous or new, strengthened NSLP lunch standards. Due to the relatively low intake of vegetables, intakes of vitamins A and C were of particular concern. Effective behavioural interventions, combined with marketing, communications and behavioural economics, will likely be necessary to encourage increased vegetable intake to meet the new meal standards.

  10. [Hearing the impact of MP3 on a survey of middle school students].

    PubMed

    Xu, Zhan; Li, Zonghua; Chen, Yang; He, Ya; Chunyu, Xiujie; Wang, Fangyuan; Zhang, Pengzhi; Gao, Lei; Qiu, Shuping; Liu, Shunli; Qiao, Li; Qiu, Jianhua

    2011-02-01

    To understand the usage of MP3 and effects on hearing of middle school students in Xi'an, and discuss controlling strategies. Stratified random cluster sampling method was used in the 1567 middle school students in Xi'an through questionnaire survey, ear examination and hearing examination, data were analysed by the SPSS13.0 statistical software. 1) The rate of holding MP3 in the middle school students was 85.2%. Average daily use time was (1.41 +/- 1.11) h. 2) The noise group of pure tone hearing threshold was significantly higher compared with the control group (P<0.01), and increased the detection rate of hearing loss with the increasing use of MP3. 3) The detection rate of symptoms increased with the increasing use of MP3. The usage of MP3 can harm hearing in middle school students, which can result in neurasthenic syndrome.

  11. Impact of School Uniforms on Student Discipline and the Learning Climate: A Comparative Case Study of Two Middle Schools with Uniform Dress Codes and Two Middle Schools without Uniform Dress Codes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dulin, Charles Dewitt

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact of uniform dress codes on a school's climate for student behavior and learning in four middle schools in North Carolina. The research will compare the perceptions of parents, teachers, and administrators in schools with uniform dress codes against schools without uniform dress codes. This…

  12. The Perceptions of Secondary School Middle Leaders Regarding Their Needs Following a Middle Leadership Development Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorpe, Anthony; Bennett-Powell, Gay

    2014-01-01

    The importance of middle leaders in bringing about improvement in schools is well recognized in the UK, as in many other countries, with the ever-present demand for raising standards and achievement. This article outlines some initial findings and discussion points emerging from the first stage of a project exploring how middle leaders in…

  13. Adapting Sources of Middle School Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale to Turkish Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kontas, Hakki; Özcan, Bahadir

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to adapt the Sources of Middle School Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale developed by Usher and Pajares to Turkish culture. This scale assesses Bandura's theorized sources of self-efficacy among mathematics students in middle school. After the Turkish version of the scale was formed, it was applied 6th, 7th and 8th…

  14. An Investigation of Middle School Teachers' Perceptions on Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waters, Stewart; Mashburn, Natalie

    2017-01-01

    The researchers in this study investigated rural middle school teachers' perspectives regarding bullying. The researchers gathered information about the teachers' definitions of bullying, where bullying occurs in their school, and how to prevent bullying. Peer-reviewed literature associated with this topic was studied in order to achieve a broader…

  15. WWC Review of the Report "Evaluation of a Two-Year Middle-School Physical Education Intervention: M-SPAN"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The study reviewed in this paper examined the effect of the "Middle School Physical Activity and Nutrition" ("M-SPAN)" intervention on the physical activity level of middle school students. For this 2-year study, 24 middle schools from six districts in southern California were stratified by school district and then randomly…

  16. Friendships in Middle School: Influences on Motivation and School Adjustment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wentzel, Kathryn R.; Barry, Carolyn McNamara; Caldwell, Kathryn A.

    2004-01-01

    In this 2-year longitudinal study (n=242), the authors examined relations of having a reciprocated friend and characteristics of a reciprocated friend to students' social and academic adjustment to middle school. With respect to having a friend, 6th-grade students without friends showed lower levels of prosocial behavior, academic achievement, and…

  17. The Middle Level Principalship. Volume I: A Survey of Middle Level Principals and Programs. Report of National Study of Schools in the Middle.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valentine, Jerry; And Others

    A national questionnaire survey of 1,413 principals of middle-level schools (those offering any combination of grades 5 through 9) gathered data on principals' personal and professional traits, tasks, problems, and opinions on selected educational issues; on school programs; and on student, school, staff, and community characteristics. The data…

  18. Examining the Relationship between Self-Esteem, Mattering, School Connectedness, and Wellness among Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Joshua C.

    2018-01-01

    With data collected from 254 middle grade (5-8) students enrolled in a rural, southern school district, this study sought to determine the influence of self-esteem, mattering, and school connectedness on students' overall wellness. Using a two-step hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the author found that school connectedness significantly…

  19. Middle Grade Indicators of Readiness in Chicago Public Schools: Looking Forward to High School and College. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allensworth, Elaine M.; Gwynne, Julia A.; Moore, Paul; de la Torre, Marisa

    2014-01-01

    This report is designed to provide a detailed picture of the relationship between students' performance in the middle grades (grades five through eight) and their subsequent performance in high school and college among students in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The key findings of this report have been summarized in briefs for middle grade and…

  20. Middle school girls: Experiences in a place-based education science classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shea, Charlene K.

    The middle school years are a crucial time when girls' science interest and participation decrease (Barton, Tan, O'Neill, Bautista-Guerra, & Brecklin, 2013). The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of middle school girls and their teacher in an eighth grade place-based education (PBE) science classroom. PBE strives to increase student recognition of the importance of educational concepts by reducing the disconnection between education and community (Gruenewald, 2008; Smith, 2007; Sobel, 2004). The current study provides two unique voices---the teacher and her students. I describe how this teacher and her students perceived PBE science instruction impacting the girls' participation in science and their willingness to pursue advanced science classes and science careers. The data were collected during the last three months of the girls' last year of middle school by utilizing observations, interviews and artifacts of the teacher and her female students in their eighth grade PBE science class. The findings reveal how PBE strategies, including the co-creation of science curriculum, can encourage girls' willingness to participate in advanced science education and pursue science careers. The implications of these findings support the use of PBE curricular strategies to encourage middle school girls to participate in advance science courses and science careers.

  1. Early Predictors of Middle School Fraction Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, Drew H.; Siegler, Robert S.; Geary, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic…

  2. The Effect of Teacher Pedagogical Content Knowledge and the Instruction of Middle School Geometry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lenhart, Sara Talley

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between middle school math teacher pedagogical content knowledge as gathered from a teacher assessment and student Standards of Learning scores. Nine middle-school math teachers at two rural schools were assessed for their pedagogical content knowledge in geometry and measurement in the specific area of…

  3. Associations between School Perceptions and Tobacco Use in a Sample of Southern Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oglesby, Willie H.; Corwin, Sara J.; Saunders, Ruth P.; Torres, Myriam E.; Richter, Donna L.

    2012-01-01

    Cigarettes are responsible for nearly 443,000 deaths per year in the United States. Eighty percent of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18. In 2009, 17.2% of high school and 5.2% of middle school youths reported being a smoker. Research on school perceptions suggests that "engaged" students get more from school on all levels, including…

  4. Temporal Associations of Popularity and Alcohol Use Among Middle School Students

    PubMed Central

    Tucker, Joan S.; Miles, Jeremy N. V.; D’Amico, Elizabeth J.; Zhou, Annie J.; Green, Harold D.; Shih, Regina A.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose The goal of this study is to better understand the longitudinal cross-lagged associations between popularity, assessed through self-rating and peer nominations, and alcohol use among middle school students. Methods The analytic sample is 1,835 6th–8th grade students who were initially recruited from three California middle schools and surveyed in the fall and spring semesters of two academic years. Students reported on their background characteristics, past month alcohol use, and perceived popularity. Additionally, students provided school-based friendship nominations, which were used to calculate peer-nominated popularity. A cross-lagged regression approach within a structural equation modeling framework was used to examine the longitudinal relationship between popularity (self-rated and peer-nominated) and alcohol use. Results There was a statistically significant (p = 0.024) association between peer-nominated popularity and the probability of alcohol consumption at the subsequent survey, but not vice versa. Our results suggest that in a scenario where 8% of students are past month drinkers, each increase of 5 friendship nominations is associated with a 30% greater risk of being a current drinker at the next wave. We found no evidence of longitudinal associations between past month alcohol consumption and self-rated popularity. Conclusions Popularity is a risk factor for drinking during the middle school years, with peer-nominated popularity being more predictive of use than self-perceptions of popularity. To inform alcohol prevention efforts for middle school students, additional research is needed to better understand why adolescents with a larger number of school-based friendship ties are more inclined to drink. PMID:23260843

  5. Bullying Victimization and Student Engagement in Elementary, Middle, and High Schools: Moderating Role of School Climate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Chunyan; Sharkey, Jill D.; Reed, Lauren A.; Chen, Chun; Dowdy, Erin

    2018-01-01

    Bullying is the most common form of school violence and is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including traumatic responses. This study used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the multilevel moderating effects of school climate and school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high schools) on the association between bullying…

  6. Racial Differences in the Transactional Relationship Between Depression and Alcohol Use From Elementary School to Middle School.

    PubMed

    Birkley, Erica L; Zapolski, Tamika C B; Smith, Gregory T

    2015-09-01

    The aim of this investigation was to test hypothesized reverse prospective relationships between alcohol consumption and depressive symptomatology as a function of race among youth. In a two-wave prospective study, 328 European American, 328 African American, and 144 Hispanic American youth were studied at the end of fifth grade (last year of elementary school) and the end of sixth grade (first year of middle school). A positive correlation was observed between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms among all youth. However, the predictive relationship differed based on race. For European American and Hispanic American youth, depressive symptom levels at the end of elementary school predicted alcohol consumption at the end of the first year of middle school, but the converse relationship was not observed. For African American youth, the opposite pattern was found. Alcohol consumption at the end of elementary school predicted depressive symptom levels at the end of the first year of middle school, and the converse relationship was not observed. These findings suggest the possibility that etiological relationships between depression and alcohol use vary by race, thus highlighting the importance of considering race when studying the risk process.

  7. Racial Differences in the Transactional Relationship Between Depression and Alcohol Use From Elementary School to Middle School

    PubMed Central

    Birkley, Erica L.; Zapolski, Tamika C. B.; Smith, Gregory T.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this investigation was to test hypothesized reverse prospective relationships between alcohol consumption and depressive symptomatology as a function of race among youth. Method: In a two-wave prospective study, 328 European American, 328 African American, and 144 Hispanic American youth were studied at the end of fifth grade (last year of elementary school) and the end of sixth grade (first year of middle school). Results: A positive correlation was observed between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms among all youth. However, the predictive relationship differed based on race. For European American and Hispanic American youth, depressive symptom levels at the end of elementary school predicted alcohol consumption at the end of the first year of middle school, but the converse relationship was not observed. For African American youth, the opposite pattern was found. Alcohol consumption at the end of elementary school predicted depressive symptom levels at the end of the first year of middle school, and the converse relationship was not observed. Conclusions: These findings suggest the possibility that etiological relationships between depression and alcohol use vary by race, thus highlighting the importance of considering race when studying the risk process. PMID:26402361

  8. School as a risk factor for psychoactive substance use by middle school students

    PubMed Central

    Okulicz-Kozaryn, Katarzyna

    2010-01-01

    For the majority of Polish students school is a source of negative experiences and therefore may increase the risk of adolescent problem behaviors. The results of the study conducted in Warsaw middle schools (N=2244, 54% girls) indicated that changes for worse (between 7 and 8 grade) in students' behavior increase the risk of drug use. However, changes for better in students' perception of school value and school achievements are risk factors, too (even when family and peer risk factors are controlled). PMID:21152104

  9. Associations between food environment around schools and professionally measured weight status for middle and high school students.

    PubMed

    Tang, Xuyang; Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Abbott, Joshua K; Aggarwal, Rimjhim; Tulloch, David L; Lloyd, Kristen; Yedidia, Michael J

    2014-12-01

    Obesity rates among school-age children remain high. Access to energy-dense foods at home, in schools, in stores, and restaurants around homes and schools is of concern. Research on the relationship between food environment around schools and students' weight status is inconclusive. This study examines the association between weight status of middle and high school students and proximity to a comprehensive set of food outlets around schools. Deidentified nurse-measured heights and weights data were obtained for 12,954 middle and high school students attending 33 public schools in four low-income communities in New Jersey. Geocoded locations of supermarkets, convenience stores, small grocery stores, and limited-service restaurants were obtained from commercial sources. Random-effect regression models with robust standard errors were developed to adjust for unequal variances across schools and clustering of students within schools. Proximity to small grocery stores that offered some healthy options (e.g., five fruits, five vegetables, and low-fat/skim milk) and supermarkets was associated with healthier student weight status. Having a small grocery store within 0.25 mile of school and an additional such store within that radius was associated with a lower BMI z-score (p<0.05). An additional supermarket within 0.25 mile of schools was associated with a lower probability of being overweight/obese (p<0.05). Improving access to healthy food outlets, such as small stores, that offer healthy food options and supermarkets around middle and high schools is a potential strategy for improving weight outcomes among students.

  10. Associations between Food Environment around Schools and Professionally Measured Weight Status for Middle and High School Students

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Xuyang; Abbott, Joshua K.; Aggarwal, Rimjhim; Tulloch, David L.; Lloyd, Kristen; Yedidia, Michael J.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Background: Obesity rates among school-age children remain high. Access to energy-dense foods at home, in schools, in stores, and restaurants around homes and schools is of concern. Research on the relationship between food environment around schools and students' weight status is inconclusive. This study examines the association between weight status of middle and high school students and proximity to a comprehensive set of food outlets around schools. Methods: Deidentified nurse-measured heights and weights data were obtained for 12,954 middle and high school students attending 33 public schools in four low-income communities in New Jersey. Geocoded locations of supermarkets, convenience stores, small grocery stores, and limited-service restaurants were obtained from commercial sources. Random-effect regression models with robust standard errors were developed to adjust for unequal variances across schools and clustering of students within schools. Results: Proximity to small grocery stores that offered some healthy options (e.g., five fruits, five vegetables, and low-fat/skim milk) and supermarkets was associated with healthier student weight status. Having a small grocery store within 0.25 mile of school and an additional such store within that radius was associated with a lower BMI z-score (p<0.05). An additional supermarket within 0.25 mile of schools was associated with a lower probability of being overweight/obese (p<0.05). Conclusions: Improving access to healthy food outlets, such as small stores, that offer healthy food options and supermarkets around middle and high schools is a potential strategy for improving weight outcomes among students. PMID:25343730

  11. Does Leadership Matter?: The Relationship of School Leadership to a Safe School Climate, Bullying, and Fighting in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leff, Jonathan M.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between transformational principal leadership style, a safe school climate, and school safety (specifically, the number of reported fights and reported bullying incidents) in Broward County, Florida's middle schools. This study also investigated if a relationship…

  12. Improving Middle School Quality in Poor Countries: Evidence from the Honduran "Sistema De Aprendizaje Tutorial"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McEwan, Patrick J.; Murphy-Graham, Erin; Torres Irribarra, David; Aguilar, Claudia; Rápalo, Renán

    2015-01-01

    This article evaluates the impact and cost-effectiveness of offering an innovative middle school model--the Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT)--to Honduran villages instead of traditional middle schools. We identified a matched sample of villages with either type of school and collected baseline data among primary school graduates eligible to…

  13. Adult Recollections of Peer Victimization during Middle School: Forms and Consequences

    PubMed Central

    Rosen, Lisa H.; Underwood, Marion K.; Gentsch, Joanna K.; Rahdar, Ahrareh; Wharton, Michelle E.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined memories of peer victimization by eliciting narratives from university students (N = 210) about one previous experience of peer maltreatment during middle school, and investigating how these recollections related to current levels of adjustment. The majority of participants described an experience of social victimization (70.0%) or physical victimization (16.7%), and analyses examining form of victimization were limited to these participants (n = 182). Previous experiences of peer maltreatment during middle school were associated with negative indices of adjustment in early adulthood. The implications of our findings for school intervention programs are discussed. PMID:23175596

  14. Student Background, School Climate, School Disorder, and Student Achievement: An Empirical Study of New York City's Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Greg; Weikart, Lynne A.

    2008-01-01

    This study develops and tests a school disorder and student achievement model based upon the school climate framework. The model was fitted to 212 New York City middle schools using the Structural Equations Modeling Analysis method. The analysis shows that the model fits the data well based upon test statistics and goodness of fit indices. The…

  15. A New Extension Model: The Memorial Middle School Agricultural Extension and Education Center

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skelton, Peter; Seevers, Brenda

    2010-01-01

    The Memorial Middle School Agricultural Extension and Education Center is a new model for Extension. The center applies the Cooperative Extension Service System philosophy and mission to developing public education-based programs. Programming primarily serves middle school students and teachers through agricultural and natural resource science…

  16. The Cumulative Disadvantages of First- and Second-Generation Segregation for Middle School Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mickelson, Roslyn Arlin

    2015-01-01

    Middle schools are important because they launch students on trajectories that they are likely to follow throughout their formal educations. This study explored the relationship of first-generation segregation (elementary and middle school racial composition) and second-generation segregation (racially correlated academic tracks) to reading and…

  17. Taking Action against Victimisation: Australian Middle School Students' Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Didaskalou, Eleni; Skrzypiec, Grace; Andreou, Eleni; Slee, Phillip

    2017-01-01

    Victimisation among students has been identified as a serious problem in Australian schools. This study investigated approaches taken by South Australian middle school students for dealing with victimisation. Over 170 students (aged 11-16) described how they coped with bullying and situations where they needed to take action against bullying. A…

  18. Carrying a Weapon to School and Perceptions of Social Support in an Urban Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malecki, Christine Kerres; Demaray, Michelle Kilpatrick

    2003-01-01

    This study of perceived social support and weapon possession surveyed 461 students in an urban middle school. Students who reported carrying weapons to school reported less overall or total perceived social support (from peers, parents, teachers, classmates, and school) than did their peers who did not carry weapons. Perceived social support was a…

  19. The link between middle school mathematics course placement and achievement.

    PubMed

    Domina, Thurston

    2014-01-01

    The proportion of eighth graders in United States public schools enrolled in algebra or a more advanced mathematics course doubled between 1990 and 2011. This article uses Early Childhood Longitudinal Study's Kindergarten Cohort data to consider the selection process into advanced middle school mathematics courses and estimate the effects of advanced courses on students' mathematics achievement (n = 6,425; mean age at eighth grade = 13.7). Eighth-grade algebra and geometry course placements are academically selective, but considerable between-school variation exists in students' odds of taking these advanced courses. While analyses indicate that advanced middle school mathematics courses boost student achievement, these effects are most pronounced in content areas closely related to class content and may be contingent on student academic readiness. © 2014 The Author. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

  20. Practices Middle School Principals in Large School Divisions Located within the Commonwealth of Virginia Employ during the Supervisory Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hitchman, Ryan Patrick

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the practices middle school principals employed during the supervisory process. The qualitative study focused on practices middle school principals followed during the pre-observation process, observation process, and post observation process. The study also detailed how the data collected from formal…

  1. Successful Mathematics Teaching for Middle-School Grades.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clayton, Gypsy Abbott; And Others

    Several competencies and instructional strategies necessary to accommodate the changing role of teachers of mathematics at middle-school level are described. Also provided are teacher-generated and teacher-tested instructional activities that can be used to facilitate student success in learning mathematical concepts. After describing the…

  2. Empowering Middle School Teachers with Portable Computers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weast, Jerry D.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    A Sioux Falls (South Dakota) project that supplied middle school teachers with Macintosh computers and training to use them showed gratifying results. Easy access to portable notebook computers made teachers more active computer users, increased teacher interaction and collaboration, enhanced teacher productivity regarding management tasks and…

  3. White against White: School Desegregation and the Revolt of Middle America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubin, Lillian B.

    1976-01-01

    Presents a sketch of two groups, one lower middle class and conservative, the other upper middle class and liberal, who squared off to fight the battle of desegregation in the schools of Richmond, California. (Author/RK)

  4. FMA Live! at Hardy Middle School

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-09-16

    Performers dance and sing during a performance of "FMA Live!" at Hardy Middle School in Washington on Monday, Sept. 16th, 2013. "FMA Live!" is a program sponsored by NASA and Honeywell that teaches Newton's three laws of motion mixed with dance and music. The program travels across the country and has reached nearly 300,000 students.Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

  5. Educating At-Risk Urban African American Children: A Comparison of Two Types of Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenzel, L. Mickey; Domingues, Janine; Raughley, Brigid C.

    2006-01-01

    Evidence is clear that urban high poverty public schools are failing to meet the educational needs of its students, particularly students of color. The present study examines the effectiveness of two types of high poverty parochial schools for 354 African American middle school students. Results show that alternative middle schools, known as…

  6. [Behaviours related to infectious disease and family factors in primary and middle school students].

    PubMed

    Feng, Na; Luo, Jiayou; Li, Huixia; Zhu, Na; Feng, Qi; Li, Xiongwei; Zhou, Haixiang

    2015-06-01

    To explore the behaviors related to infectious disease and family factors in primary and middle school students, and to provide evidence for improving behaviors related to infectious disease.
 A total of 8465 students were randomly surveyed by a standard questionnaire of behaviors related to infectious disease. Chi-square test was used to analyze the influential factors for behaviors related to infectious disease, and non conditional logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the multiple factors.
 The total formation rate of behaviors related to infectious disease was 66.4%. The rates for primary and middle school students were 69.4% and 62.8% respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). There were significant differences in the following behaviors, such as washing hands before eating food, rarely buying snacks on outside stalls, informing teachers when showing infectious disease symptoms (all P<0.05), the degree for such behaviors in primary school students was higher than that in middle school students. There were also significant differences in the following behaviors, such as washing hands after using the toilet, blocking with a handkerchief, wiping while coughing and sneezing (all P<0.05), the degree for such behaviors in middle school students was higher than that in primary school students. Non conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the behaviors related to infectious disease in primary and middle school students were associated with parents' education degree, mother's occupation and living status with parents.
 Behaviors related to infectious disease in primary and middle school students need to be improved, and the formation of these behaviors may be related to many family factors.

  7. Urban Middle-Grade Student Mathematics Achievement Growth under Comprehensive School Reform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mac Iver, Martha Abele; Mac Iver, Douglas J.

    2009-01-01

    Recognizing the need to implement standards-based instructional materials with school-wide coherence led some Philadelphia schools to adopt whole-school reform (WSR) models during the late 1990s. The authors report on the relation between mathematics achievement growth for middle-grade students on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments and…

  8. Citizen Schools: An After-Hours Adventure--Professionals Mentoring Middle-Grades Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanagh, Sean

    2007-01-01

    Citizen Schools is an apprenticeship program offered outside school hours that seeks to build students' academic and leadership skills by connecting them with professionals from various fields. Launched in Boston in 1994, the program targets what some say is an underserved population in after-school education--middle school students--through a…

  9. Robert M. Finley Middle School: Building Community, Respect, and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Principal Leadership, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This article features Robert M. Finley Middle School, a school that is considered by the entire Glen Cove, New York, community as important and successful. Gaps in student achievement have decreased significantly and all student achievement has improved over the last five years in this school, where nearly half of the 652 students are from…

  10. Classroom and School Predictors of Civic Engagement among Black and Latino Middle School Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jagers, Robert J.; Lozada, Fantasy T.; Rivas-Drake, Deborah; Guillaume, Casta

    2017-01-01

    This study used short-term longitudinal data to examine the contributions of democratic teaching practices (e.g., the Developmental Designs approach) and equitable school climate to civic engagement attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors among 515 Black and Latino middle school students (47.9% male). Concurrent experiences of democratic homeroom and…

  11. Content-Knowledge Structure Differences among Middle School, High School, and College Life Science Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bates, John A.; And Others

    As part of an ongoing study of the content knowledge, instructional beliefs, and instructional practices of middle school, high school, and college science teachers, the hypothesis that there are systematic differences across academic levels in these teachers' conceptual understanding of the same content-specific subjects was studied. Eight middle…

  12. Academic and emotional functioning in middle school: the role of implicit theories.

    PubMed

    Romero, Carissa; Master, Allison; Paunesku, Dave; Dweck, Carol S; Gross, James J

    2014-04-01

    Adolescents face many academic and emotional challenges in middle school, but notable differences are evident in how well they adapt. What predicts adolescents' academic and emotional outcomes during this period? One important factor might be adolescents' implicit theories about whether intelligence and emotions can change. The current study examines how these theories affect academic and emotional outcomes. One hundred fifteen students completed surveys throughout middle school, and their grades and course selections were obtained from school records. Students who believed that intelligence could be developed earned higher grades and were more likely to move to advanced math courses over time. Students who believed that emotions could be controlled reported fewer depressive symptoms and, if they began middle school with lower well-being, were more likely to feel better over time. These findings illustrate the power of adolescents' implicit theories, suggesting exciting new pathways for intervention.

  13. Middle School Climate: A Study of Attitudes. Fastback 455.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gold, Joshua M.; Rotter, Joseph C.; Holmes, George R.; Motes, Patricia S.

    This fastback document presents the results of an opinion survey of middle-school students, parents, and teachers in South Carolina. Because no surveys in the literature had combined responses from these three groups, researchers asked 4,940 students, 735 teachers, and 2,576 parents about their attitudes toward school, students, and teachers. The…

  14. Positive Behavior Supports: Tier 2 Interventions in Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoyle, Carol G.; Marshall, Kathleen J.; Yell, Mitchell L.

    2011-01-01

    School personnel are using Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports in public schools throughout the United States. A number of studies have evaluated the universal level, or Tier 1, of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports. In this study, the authors describe and analyze the interventions offered as options for use for Tier 2 in middle schools…

  15. Bullying victimization and student engagement in elementary, middle, and high schools: Moderating role of school climate.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chunyan; Sharkey, Jill D; Reed, Lauren A; Chen, Chun; Dowdy, Erin

    2018-03-01

    Bullying is the most common form of school violence and is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including traumatic responses. This study used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the multilevel moderating effects of school climate and school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high schools) on the association between bullying victimization and student engagement. Participants included 25,896 students in 4th to 12th grades from 114 schools. Results indicated that, after controlling for student and school demographic factors, positive school climate was associated with higher behavioral/cognitive and emotional engagement of students across all grades. This highlights the critical and fundamental role of positive school climate in bullying prevention and intervention, among students across all grade levels, including those with frequent bullying victimization experience. Results also showed that negative associations between student-level bullying victimization and engagement were intensified in more positive school climates. This finding suggests that, in comparison with students in schools with less positive school climates, the engagement of bullying victims in schools with a more positive school climate might be more negatively influenced by their victimization experience. Additionally, the relation between student-level bullying victimization and emotional engagement was significantly different across middle and high schools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. The Influence of Grade-Span Configuration on Student Performance in K-8 Schools and Middle Schools in New Jersey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keegan, Edward W.

    2010-01-01

    Recent literature casts unfavorable light upon the middle school as the most appropriate grade configuration in which to effectively educate young adolescents. The current criticism of middle schools may be fueled, in part, by "A Nation at Risk," the "No Child Left Behind Act," and a growing subsequent emphasis on…

  17. Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better. A Large-Scale Study of Middle Grades Practices and Student Outcomes. Technical Appendix B

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    EdSource, 2010

    2010-01-01

    This appendix focuses on the descriptive statistics of the middle study schools that participated in the "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better. A Large-Scale Study of Middle Grades Practices and Student Outcomes. Initial Research." This appendix contains the following figures: (1) Student…

  18. Understanding Male Underachievement in Middle School Science: Challenging the Assumptions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holbrooks, Marilyn Jane

    The overall purpose of this collaborative action research study was to explore the experiences of eight middle school science teachers. This collaborative action research study concerned itself with male student underachievement in science at the middle school level. The study was conducted at Sherwood Forest Middle School (a pseudonym) with sixth through eighth grade science teachers with more than three years of experience, various teaching backgrounds within academic subjects as well as special education, and different grade levels. The interviews probed the teachers' personal experiences and insights regarding male underachievement in science. This collaborative action research study relied on qualitative data from interviews and other pieces of evidence that might support the teachers' observations, specifically standardized test data and class grades. In addition, four of the seven teachers participated in a focus group, developing strategies for more effective teaching in science for all students. Understanding the experiences of science educators for sixth through eighth grade students can assist local, state, and federal policymakers in educational decision-making processes for the future.

  19. The Efficacy of Differentiated Instruction in Meeting the Needs of Gifted Middle School Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Light, Julie K.

    2012-01-01

    The research site is a middle school in a K-12 suburban public school district with heterogeneously grouped (mixed ability) middle school language arts, social studies, and science classes. It has been determined that the academic needs of its gifted or highly talented learners in these classes need to be better met. This action science research…

  20. Relational-Cultural Theory for Middle School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tucker, Catherine; Smith-Adcock, Sondra; Trepal, Heather C.

    2011-01-01

    Young adolescents (ages 11-14), typically in the middle school grades, face life tasks involving connections and belonging with their peer group along with the development of their individual identity (Henderson & Thompson, 2010). Learning to negotiate through these developmental tasks, they face myriad relational challenges. This article explores…