Organizing a school staff to deliver a core curriculum has historically taken three forms: the all-school theme approach, interdisciplinary teamwork, and the block time or self-contained class models. The ultimate in student-centered integrative curriculum is the unstructured core approach, which involves teacher and student cooperation in…

Teacher teams add new dimensions to learning and a much- needed sense of family and community. Teams have four domains: response to student needs, curriculum integration, teaching strategies, and flexible scheduling. Barriers include scheduling problems, insufficient planning and implementation time, sporadic cooperation among core and elective…

Two decades after helping a school begin the transition to middle level, observations are made of the results of middle school planning, implementation, and evaluation. Chief areas of focus were interdisciplinary teaming, block scheduling, exploratory activities, and an adviser-advisee arrangement. (MLF)

Discusses ways to implement interdisciplinary teams to create high performance learning communities for students. Considers team tasks and needs, applying team tasks to responsive school structures, and enhancing instruction through flexible time use. (JPB)

The basic goal of the program is to initiate a new course of study which will upgrade the education of the general student and give him a sense of direction and commitment. The program was organized in five schools during the 1966 school year, and four additional high schools will be included in 1967. The Educational Testing Service of Princeton…

A recent case study examined how the organizational changes from junior high to middle school influenced the science program for a large North Carolina school system, focusing on teacher preparation, time allocation, interdisciplinary instruction, equipment allocation, and information and leadership issues. Science instruction was enhanced under…

This manual illustrates an interdisciplinary team approach to teaching four academic subjects for seventh grade students. Eight interdisciplinary units are presented that were developed by teachers around two or more of the following subject areas: language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics. An introduction to the Block Plan, as it…

The effectiveness of the Block Plan, developed and implemented by the seventh grade students at Edith Rogers Junior High School in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) was investigated. The Block Plan uses the concept of a pair of teachers assigned to two classes of students for the homeroom period plus a pair of teachers assigned for each of four academic…

This paper describes a methods course block that combines several basic education courses and provides gradual increases in student teaching time. The course contains the methods instruction for music, science, language arts/reading, social studies, and physical education. The class meets on campus for instruction three to four weeks at the…