Too many rules restrict teenagers' freedoms and development. How can schools straddle the line between providing safety and harmony for students, but also giving them room to make their own mistakes and assert independence? Benson looks at the problem of too many rules, and how it not only harms students, but also interpersonal relationships…

Adolescents spend a large proportion of their day in school or pursuing school-related activities. While the primary purpose of school is the academic development of students, its effects on adolescents are far broader, also encompassing their physical and mental health, safety, civic engagement, and social development. Further, its effects on all…

The dramatic ups and downs so often witnessed in adolescents are the result of changes in their brain activity. It is vital that the emotional and psychological needs that arise from such intense brain development are acknowledged and addressed so that middle school becomes a safe environment for the budding adults.

Discusses the necessity for schools to be responsive to the developmental needs of young adolescents in order to develop an effective learning environment. Analyzes the application of the Middle Grades Assessment Program to this effort, as exemplified in the case of the Francisco Middle School in San Francisco, California. (PGD)

This guide for middle school administrators is built upon the concept of administrators training one another using scripted workshop materials. Written to be read aloud and adapted for individual use, the guide provides information for development of effective middle school programs. This workshop material is organized into six sections.…

Noting that young adolescents--around 10 to 15 years of age--undergo significant emotional, social, intellectual, and physical changes, this book serves as a reference for parents, educators, and policymakers concerned with education that meets the unique needs of the student population. The five sections of the book cover the historical and…

Children and adolescents who enjoy healthy growth and development along six primary pathways are the students who learn well and achieve success in school and in life. But children from poorly functioning families and impoverished social networks too often find themselves without adequate preparation and support for the academic challenges that…

In recent years, numerous questions have been raised in correspondence and in conferences about the education of children in grades seven and eight. In response to the interest expressed, the Elementary Schools Section of the Office of Education invited a group of educators representing administrators, supervisors, teachers, and teacher-educators…