This chapter discusses teacher community at a Javanese junior high school and how their professional responsibilities are structured in relation to institutional setting. The analysis is based on the premise that professional responsibilities of teachers differ across contextual settings. In daily school activities, teachers were accountable for…

The purpose of this article is to explore how to teach students with learning disabilities (LD) to cope effectively, so that they may develop self-determination (independence) skills in middle school. Teachers need to understand the definition of coping and what makes coping effective. They can then tailor instruction of students with LD with…

Life experiences can affect students' educational experiences as they continue through the middle years (grades 7-9). Children carry negative experiences, societal and family influences, and early educational experiences with them. All of these factors can contribute to student anxiety while learning mathematics. Anxiety in mathematics may present…

For many students, the journey from middle school to high school is marked by significant social, emotional, and behavioural changes. Undetected student needs and lack of parental engagement can contribute to a negative transition experience. When students struggle to adapt to new challenges and demands without supports, they are at a greater risk…

The authors, youth leaders in Philadelphia and New York, believe that researchers can do a better job of listening to and including youth in their research. Since October 2021 they have been collecting essays from high school students (and some middle school and college students too) written during this time of community, national, and global…

The dissolution of adolescent romantic relationships can lead to a host of detrimental mental health, academic, and social issues for students. The purpose of this article is to discuss specific ways in which school counselors, using direct and indirect services can support students experiencing the trauma of a severed relationship. The article…

This article posits that the restorative practice of community circles offers middle school students a safe, empowering space where moments of social and emotional strife can be addressed and possibly prevented. It also recognizes that by creating a safe and empowering classroom community, students who have or are experiencing trauma can find…

Forced migration generally refers to groups of people who are displaced by conflicts related to natural or environmental disasters, or war. This conceptual article takes up the topic of teaching children who have experienced forced migration due to war from ethnic or religious conflict, and the stories of trauma they may bring into a classroom.…

The purpose of this essay is to offer middle grades educators with suggestions on promoting students' global perspectives by using the international pandemic as a main topic during and after the COVID-19 crisis. The outbreak of the coronavirus has affected individuals' lives and education around the world including the United States. This…

Jade Speaks Up is an Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)-funded programme. It supports teachers to use process drama and other activities to introduce the topic of domestic violence while at the same time developing emotional literacy, trust, and self-calming skills. This article draws on qualitative and quantitative evaluation data to show…

The isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic is causing both physical and mental health concerns for children worldwide. When the pandemic is over, schools and kindergartens represent a crucial context that can play an important role in promoting young people's well-being. This paper presents a school re-entry program aimed at creating an arena…

In this experimental nonfiction essay, the author recounts her (many) experiences with having her creative work rejected by mainstream outlets. Detailing the blessing and the curse that is the "Ctrl Find" command, she pokes fun at the creative writing process, and links her difficulties as a writer to her work as a middle school Language…

Predominantly White Educational Institutions often fail to meet the needs of gifted African American students. Racial discrimination, lack of teacher cultural competence, and deficit ideologies create barriers impacting student academic success, emotional well-being, and sense of belonging. School counselors are in optimal positions to assist…

Exposing middle school students to characters with disabilities in young adult literature will not only forward an agenda of diversity in literature, but also teach readers about bullying and its repercussions for a vulnerable group of adolescents. The connections created through studying these novels can help build and strengthen a safe,…

The Student Substance Use and Safety Survey, administered annually to a random, representative sample of AISD middle and high school students, provides self-report data on student knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to substance use and school safety issues. These are the results from the spring 2014 survey.