Texas has had its share of headaches when it comes to testing.  Does anyone else remember the TECAT?  That was a test that every Texas teacher had to take to keep on trucking.  It was an absurd, expensive ordeal where teachers were treated like cattle because lawmakers weren't sure that they were educated enough ...

I enjoy reading Jessica Shyu's blog ''On the Reservation'' online in Teacher Magazine.  She is in her second year of teaching in the Teach for America program.  She teaches special education to elementary and middle school students on a reservation in New Mexico.  Her recent post about schools offering sex and health ...

You can recommend your middle school for a place on the top list of middle schools that is being compiled for The Washington Post Magazine by contacting Jay Mathews at washingtonpost.com and letting him know why you think your school is one of the best.  Although he is mainly focusing on the D.C. area, he is hoping to identify ...

The ongoing dilemma about where to house and how to motivate middle school students is back in the news on newyorktimes.com.  As any parent with a child this age will tell you, middle school students are an unusual lot.  They come in a variety of sizes with all sorts of interesting personalities.  If you teach them ...