Middle School Today: Current Best Practices for Adolescent Learners is an accessible, practical guide that is conceptually rich, grounded in theory, and illuminated by the practice of responsive education for young adolescent learners. This timely text reflects the state of the field, with sections on inclusive and culturally sustaining learning environments, assessment-driven differentiation, literacy across the curriculum, school scheduling, restorative discipline practices, student mental health, and much, much more. Anecdotes and examples from middle grades classrooms ensure readers with all levels of experience—from preservice teacher candidates to veteran teachers and graduate students—will be able to use the ideas and information in this book to guide effective practice, prompt robust discussion, and foster critical reflection.

David C. Virtue, Taft B. Botner Distinguished Professor of Middle Grades Education, Western Carolina University

This comprehensive text compels teacher candidates, novice teachers, and their faculty mentors to consider critical aspects of both adolescent development and teacher practice in purposeful ways. The authors provide bridges between information and school context through sections like Pause and Reflect, classroom scenarios, and suggestions for making best use of evidence-based strategies. Presented with a practical and enthusiastic voice, this well-crafted, engaging text is poised to make a significant contribution to the field of early adolescent education.

Jeanneine Jones, professor emeritus, University of North Carolina Charlotte

What a gift to hear the voices of middle level practitioners, students, parents, educators, and leaders. The text provides practitioners with insights and practices that highlight middle level education through the lens of young adolescents’ assets. The authors are deeply immersed in young adolescent theory and practice as they have created a model laboratory school for young adolescents at their university. Using the voices of young adolescents and their teachers, this book embraces readers in the beauty that surrounds middle level education.

Nancy Ruppert, professor, University of North Carolina at Asheville