Educating Productive Citizens and Effective Leaders

Features

Focus on Film: Learning It Through the Movies
David M. Considine and Frank Baker
Who says movies aren't valuable instructional tools? When students are engaged with the content through a medium they love, they learn better and retain more.

Learning to Lead: Developing Young Adolescents' Skills
Lyn Fiscus
Educators who focus on character and leadership development recognize their role in creating effective leaders and active citizens in middle school and beyond.

Finding Leaders: Bringing Out the Best in All Your Students
Jim Paterson
Some educators are finding strong student leaders in the most unlikely places—and making a difference in their lives and in the school culture.

Start Talking! Girl Talk Grounds Young Adolescents
Haley Kilpatrick
What happens when you bring high school girls and middle school girls together for weekly conversations? A bond forms that builds confidence and promotes service.

Operation Day's Work: Students Making a Difference
Linda Kantor Swerdlow
The life—and death—of a 12-year-old from oceans away inspired middle school students in Massachusetts to make a difference not only locally, but globally as well.

Meeting the Needs of Students in Transition
Al Summers and Larry Moehnke
As our society becomes more mobile, smooth and rewarding student transitions become more important. A partnership between U. S. Army Child and Youth Services and the Military Child Education Coalition is helping schools ease transitions for thousands of students.

Did You Hear the One About … ? Humor in the Classroom
Jim Paterson
Teachers walking on window sills? Dressing as cowboys? Learn how teachers are engaging students in learning by adding a little humor.

Departments

Editor's Note
Patricia George

Perspective
Sue Swaim
It's a Tenth Anniversary Celebration.

News to Use
Information to promote effective middle level education.

Teams in Action
Jan Burgess
The Wall of Wonder and Other Befuddlements

Hot Links
Brenda A. Dyck
Learning from the Pygmies and Robin Hood

Teaching in the Middle
Rick Wormeli
Metaphors Are Key

The Mark of Leadership
Tom Burton
Parent Involvement: If You Build It, They Will Come

Reviews & Resources
Books and resources of interest to middle level educators.

Megaphone
Amusing, interesting, and provocative comments from the field of middle level education.

Spotlight on Service Learning
Cathryn Berger Kaye
Service Learning and Literature: Creating a Dynamic, Engaging School Culture