Learning Goals

A. Approaches to Educating Students

1.1 How have secondary schools changed since the nineteenth century?

1.2 What is the comprehensive high school?

1.3 What functions of secondary schools are being debated today?

1.4 What is the back-to-basics movement?

1.5 What arguments are being made for schools to fulfill more comprehensive functions?

1.6 How do American schools compare with those in other countries?

1.7 What is direct instruction approach to student learning?

1.8 What are cognitive constructivist approaches to student learning?

1.9 What are social constructivist approaches to student learning?

1.10 What is the American Psychological Association's learner centered psychological principles?

2.1 What are the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development's eight principles for transforming adolescent's educational experiences?

2.2 How do the social context of schools differ at the preschool, elementary school, and secondary school levels?

A. Transition to Middle or Junior High School

3.1 What is the origin of junior high schools?

3.2 What were the justifications for junior high schools?

3.3 How has the role of ninth grade been resolved over time?

3.4 Why have middle schools become more popular than the junior high model?

3.5 How are middle schools related to pubertal development?

3.6 Is the transition to sixth- through eight-grade middle schools easier for students than the transition to traditional junior highs (7--9)?

3.7 Why is the transition to middle- or junior-high school stressful?

3.8 What is the top-dog phenomenon?

B. Successful Middle Schools

3.9 According to Lipsitz, what makes a middle school successful?

3.10 What did the Carnegie Foundation recommend about the redesign of middle schools?

A. High School to College

4.1 How does the transition from high school to college parallel the transition from elementary to middle-junior high school?

4.2 What happens to parental interaction with the transition?

4.3 What are the effects of discontinuity between high school and college?

4.4 Why are today's college freshmen suffering from more depression and stress than in the past?

B. High School Dropouts and Noncollege Youth

4.5 Over the past 40 years, what has been the reason for the drop in the numbers of dropouts?

4.6 What educational deficiencies do students who dropout experience in adulthood?

4.7 What are the extent and characteristics of ethnic minority students who drop out?

4.8 What factors are associated with dropping out?

4.9 What approaches can be used to reduce the rate of dropping out and improve student experiences?

A. Size and Climate

5.1 What are the most desirable classroom and school size?

5.2 What are some benefits of a small school?

5.3 What are some of the drawbacks of large schools?

5.4 What are some benefits of a large school?

5.5 Which class size best benefits student learning?

5.6 What are the components of a positive classroom climate?

5.7 What is the authoritative strategy of classroom management?

5.8 What is the authoritarian strategy of classroom management?

5.9 What is the permissive strategy of classroom management?

5.10 To what variables are classroom climate generally linked?

5.11 What is the effect of school climate on student achievement?

B. Person-Environment Fit and Aptitude-Treatment Interaction

5.12 What happens when the schools do not meet the adolescent's needs?

5.13 What is meant by aptitude-treatment interaction?

C. Teachers and Parents

5.14 Can a profile of a competent teacher be compiled?

5.15 How does parental involvement with schools change as students move into adolescence?

5.16 Why do student-teacher relationships often deteriorate after the transition to junior high?

5.17 Why is greater collaboration between schools, families, and communities needed?

5.18 What is Epstein's framework for improving parent involvement in adolescents' schooling?

A. Socioeconomic Status and Ethnicity in Schools

6.1 What is the effect of poverty on student learning?

6.2 What are the characteristics of schools in low-income neighborhoods?

B. Ethnicity

6.3 How does ethnicity impact on school experiences?

6.4 What is the role of teacher's positive expectations of ethnic students?

6.5 What are some effective teaching strategies for improving relations with ethnically diverse students?

6.6 What is a jigsaw classroom?

6.7 How can the concept of the jigsaw classroom be used to improve American schools?

6.8 What has been the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Comer schools?

6.9 What are some social policy recommendations for improving schools for adolescents?

A. Who Are Adolescents with Disabilities?

7.1 How many U.S. students receive special education services?

7.2 What percentage of students receiving special education has learning disabilities?

B. Learning Disabilities

7.3 What are the characteristics of a learning disability?

7.4 How are learning disabilities defined?

7.5 What is the most common problem for students with a learning disability?

C. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

7.6 How is ADHD defined?

7.7 What is the controversy related to the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD?

7.8 What interventions are recommended for children and adolescents with ADHD?

D. Educational Issues Involving Adolescents with a Disability

7.9 What is Public Law 92--142?

7.10 What is The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)?

7.11 What does least restrictive environment (LRE) mean?

7.12 What is meant by inclusion?

A. Adolescents Who Are Gifted

8.1 What are the criteria for giftedness?

8.2 According to Winner, what are the three characteristics of adolescents who are gifted?

8.3 What are some characteristics that characterize gifted adolescents?

8.4 What program options exist for students who are gifted?