Sound research-based strategies have made The Essential Middle School a must-have resource inservice middle school teachers for years. Now with even more applications in the planning and management sections , written by a practicing teacher, readers can easily see how research-based strategies can be applied in today's classrooms. Emphasis on new technologies and Internet resources are included, as well, making this a valuable resource for instructors and students alike.

• Strong emphasis on curricular, instructional and organizational issues of middle schools—How these affect teachers and learners, and less emphasis on the design, and development of middle schools.

  • Better prepares teachers to understand the curriculum and the instructional issues of middle schools, which is where teachers live.

• Thorough coverage of the role of technology in today's middle schools.

  • Inservice teachers' awareness and acceptance of the presence and impact of technology on classroom operations is brought into focus through this coverage.

• Thorough discussion of curriculum standards—The role of standards in teaching and learning in the middle school.

  • Practicing teachers gain an understanding of the impact of standards in their classroom lives and how to address these standards.

• Up to date demographics—Affecting middle schools and the impact of demographics on instruction.

  • New teachers can gain understanding of their students and learn how to individualize instruction for the variety of students they will teach.

• Coverage of the role of parents' involvement in their middle student's learning.

  • Inservice teachers are enlightened to how they can incorporate parent presence in the educational experiences of their students.