Middle school educators are facing many challenges in todayOCOs educational and political environment due to the focus on excellence as measured by achievement tests. It is the purpose of this book to provide a discussion of how middle schools can provide a strong standards-based academic program while, at the same time, remaining focused on the student-centered principles upon which the middle school experience should be based. The text is intended to aid readers in the development of the teaching philosophies, behaviors, and skills relevant to effective instruction in the unique middle school environment. This emphasis reflects the philosophy that teachers ultimately determine the quality of schooling and that the learning environment should be student-centered while maintaining a strong academic foundation. The text begins with an overview of the origins and essential elements of middle schools; proceeds through discussions of middle school teachers, students, schooling structures, and teaching strategies; and concludes with a view of the future. Specifically, chapters offer suggestions for teaching and learning in the middle school environment, for developing essential teaching characteristics, for creating a positive middle school climate, for planning the curriculum, for providing developmentally appropriate instruction, and for assessing and reporting student progress. This outstanding new edition provides a comprehensive, current, and cohesive text that allows the reader to more clearly understand the nature and importance of significant standards issues and developments within the ongoing evolution of the modern American middle school."