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Considers how recent research shows that critics of the middle school concept may have strong grounds for their concerns about a lack of focus on standards and achievement. Notes that the same research suggests new directions for reform that are diametrically opposed to the "solutions" advocated by many middle school critics. (SG)

Students' academic motivation decreases in middle grades; specifications grading (SG) may be one way to boost students' motivation by offering greater agency. In this mixed-methods, quasi-experimental study, we compared SG with traditional grading methods among 69 low-income, 8th grade math students. Results indicate that students in SG classes have greater anticipation of success, greater interest, and trended toward a greater sense of self-efficacy than those in traditionally graded classes. Qualitative remarks from SG participants indicate a greater sense of control and decreased stress in math, as well as an emphasis on learning over performance. Although further research is needed, our results offer instructional implications regarding ways to offer students more control through grading systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligence is not fixed. While many of us may not be innately talented in all areas of learning, all of us are capable of learning anything. It is important that teachers help communicate this concept to students and help students to develop this growth mindset. This article first compares growth and fixed mindsets, discussing some of the consequences related to fear of failure and low self-efficacy when having a fixed mindset. Then the article explains how grit relates to growth mindset, providing best practices for how teachers can begin to instill grit in the classroom. Although not a panacea for solving all problems in our educational system, these best practices can support how students view themselves as learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content area literacy has an important role in helping students understand content in specific disciplines, such as mathematics. Although the strategies are not unique to each individual content area, they are often adapted for use in a specific discipline. For example, mathematicians use mathematical language to make sense of new ideas and information and to organize that information in a specialized way. Content literacy strategies can help mathematics students accomplish these goals. In this article, we will discuss six practical strategies to help build students' content skills in the mathematics classroom and they are: the Frayer model, question generation, visual supports, think-alouds, writing to learn, and text reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opinion. Presents the author's view on the certainty of mathematics. Phrases that commonly used to affirm the certainty of mathematics; Why mathematics is not perfect when applied to real problems; Examples of the application of mathematics in social relations.

The purpose of this investigation is to describe an implementation of a modeling task using mock data from an ancient archeological find. Students discover the relationship between the height of a person and his or her stride length. Qualitative data from student discussions document thinking and reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Just as science education is too often limited to the acquisition of facts, technology education is too often limited to proficient use of technology. Neither of these goals fully realize a robust definition of science and technology literacy. To achieve greater science and technology literacy, students must understand the natures of both science and technology (NOST). Through understanding NOST, students can make better-informed personal decisions and participate in critical cultural discourse about the role of science and technology in our lives. This article provides ideas about what students should know about NOST and strategies for engaging students with these difficult ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a communication-rich classroom can be difficult. This article describes the process and findings of a practitioner action research study addressing the question of how teachers can interact with their students while they are working in groups to encourage and enhance student-to-student communication. Recommended research-based teacher interventions that foster small-group discourse are provided as well as suggestions for practitioners who are interested in conducting practitioner action research to improve their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author first introduces and describes a new teaching tool called WebQuests to practicing teachers. He then provides detailed information about the structure of a good WebQuest. Third, the author shows the strengths and weaknesses of using Web-Quests in teaching and learning. Last, he points out the challenges for practicing teachers and administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In U.S. schools, students must pass statewide competency tests to graduate from high school. In this article, the authors summarize the development and testing of a program implemented to improve the skills of students failing to "make the grade" on these high-stakes tests. District personnel randomly assigned twenty-eight students who previously failed the math test to participate in an experimental (Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards [AIMS]) or control math class. The AIMS group used a computerized tool to generate multiple-choice problems for students to practice the content of the state's competency test. Eight AIMS students (57 percent) and two control students (14 percent) passed the retest. The outcomes offer promise for schools looking for evidence-based solutions to problems related to increasing numbers of students experiencing difficulties with high-stakes assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]