Middle Grades Curriculum

This professional resource addresses a crucial gap in middle school education by focusing on the affective domain—the social-emotional and self-perception needs of students that are often overlooked in today's standards-driven climate. It revitalizes an established 1980s curriculum model with contemporary research, specifically examining how young adolescents' self-concept directly influences their academic engagement and performance during these pivotal developmental years. The book provides a necessary counterbalance to high-stakes testing environments by demonstrating why emotional intelligence and student self-perception belong at the core of effective curriculum design for grades 6-8.

Educators and curriculum developers seeking to create more holistic, responsive learning environments will find this text particularly transformative. It offers a research-backed framework for integrating social-emotional learning with academic content, making it an essential tool for anyone committed to addressing the whole child in middle grades education. The updated knowledge base provides practical strategies for fostering positive self-perceptions, ultimately creating classrooms where students are not only prepared for tests but are also equipped with the confidence and resilience needed for long-term success.