For educators committed to success for every student, this updated edition of AMLE's landmark position paper is recognized as the best articulation of the middle school concept. Widely studied and employed in schools serving students ages 10-15, this book offers a set of 5 attributes and 18 characteristics that define successful middle schools. Rooted in research cited throughout the book, you will find a framework for creating the learning environments and opportunities that all young ado...

Real Talk for New Teachers helps beginning teachers develop their vision and orient their practice toward a personally fulfilling, healthy, and sustainable career.Having a sustainable career goes beyond buzzwords like self-care, and Farber and Bishop provide meaningful ideas for balancing the demands of the profession and getting the most out of it. Topics include managing health, time, and emotions; building community with students and families; collaborating with colleag...

For thousands of years, religion has been a key element of human societies. Whenever we, as educators, exclude or minimize religion’s vast role in society, we leave out a large part of our world’s shared history. This is a serious act of educational omission, even neglect, on the part of our nation’s public middle and secondary schools, particularly when adolescents are so ready to engage in meaningful conversation about the world that surrounds them. Our book’s central purpose is to provi...

Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades shows how teachers in grades 5–8 can leverage the use of personalized learning plans (PLPs) to increase student agency and engagement, helping youth to establish learning goals aligned with their interests and assess their own learning—particularly around essential skills that cut across disciplines.Drawing on their research and work with fifty schools in Vermont, where PLPs are used statewide, the authors show ho...

The story of Oscar Romero is one of transformation, from one born of poverty, to one living comfortably within the system, to one determined to change the system. The story of Oscar Romero is one of conversion, of Paul on the road to Damascus, of a man who was blinded, and whose eyes were opened by the Lord, to see his brothers and sisters in agony and misery. The story of Oscar Romero is one of a man who committed his life to right wrongs to his flock, or die trying. The story of Oscar Ro...

Enhance classroom practice by promoting an open and shared process with your students!Middle school students have much to say about the quality of their schooling experiences and can provide rich insight into what works for them and what doesn′t. Educators Penny A. Bishop and Susanna W. Pflaum demonstrate how to enhance classroom practice by inviting students to offer feedback on pedagogy, learning styles, and their individual preferences and needs. Writte...

The story of Oscar Romero is one of transformation, from one born of poverty, to one living comfortably within the system, to one determined to change the system. The story of Oscar Romero is one of conversion, of Paul on the road to Damascus, of a man who was blinded, and whose eyes were opened by the Lord, to see his brothers and sisters in agony and misery. The story of Oscar Romero is one of a man who committed his life to right wrongs to his flock, or die trying. The story of Oscar Ro...