Betwixt and Between Understanding and Meeting the Social and Emotional Development Needs of Students During the Middle School Transition Years

No other stage of education rivals the complexity of the middle school years. With so many social, emotional, physical, and cognitive changes taking place, educators must tackle it all to positively impact student development. In Betwixt and Between, Dr. Young and Dr. Michael compile a collection of authors and topics that address the many different facets of educating young adolescents. It is an incredible toolbox for anyone involved in middle level education! -- Timothy Allen, Ed.D., principal, Birchland Park Middle School, Massachusetts There are few topics more important than the healthy development of our children, and focusing on the needs of middle school children hits a much needed area of concern. From social and emotional issues to school and family issues, to brain research and the all-too-current issue of bullying, this book offers all who care about children a wealth of information, advice, support and inspiration. This book is written in service of raising the next generation towards becoming fully capable adults. -- Dorothy Firman, Ed.D., educator and author of Engaging Life: Living Well with Chronic Illness This book is a wake-up call for educators to incorporate meaningful and active engagement in and out of the classroom; following these suggestions, students may adjust more quickly and demonstrate increased academic performance. The authors offer insight into the needs of middle school students and suggest ways to better support a successful school climate. They convincingly argue that early adolescence is the most critical phase of human development, making their demystification of that period especially valuable. -- Robert D. Mack, Ed.D., associate dean of undergraduate education, Tufts University The book addresses important topics in the social and emotional lives of early adolescents. This is such a pivotal time, developmentally, that it is wonderful to see an entire work devoted to the age group. Covering contemporary issues such as social media, bullying, and pro-social growth through leadership opportunities, the authors offer educators and parents alike a rich array of strategies and approaches to help "tweens" navigate middle school successfully. -- Peter Bittel, Ed.D., CEO, Futures HealthCorp We all are aware that middle school years are when some students begin to prepare for accomplishment at the secondary and post-secondary levels, while others begin to disengage from the educational experience. Such disengagement has huge personal, social, academic, and financial implications for the students themselves as well as for their families and society. In this book, the authors wisely address ways in which we can keep middle school students engaged and thriving during the challenging early adolescent years. -- Richard Holzman, Ed.D., dean, quality assurance and faculty engagement, American International College