Betwixt and Between

Dr. Nicholas D. Young has worked in diverse educational roles for over twenty years, including serving as a director of student services, principal, graduate professor, dean, and superintendent of schools. He holds numerous degrees from Austin Peay State University, Westfield State University, Western New England University, Union Institute & University, and American International College, including a Ph.D. in educational administration and an Ed.D. in psychology. Dr. Young has published widely, recently co-authoring Collapsing Educational Boundaries from Preschool to Ph.D.: Building Bridges Across the Educational Spectrum, Learning Style Perspectives: Impact In the Classroom (3rd edition), and Transforming Special Education Practices: A Primer for School Administrators and Policy Makers.Dr. Christine N. Michael is a thirty-year educational veteran with a variety of professional experiences. She holds degrees from Brown University, Rhode Island College, Union Institute & University, and the University of Connecticut, where she earned a Ph.D. in education and human development and family relations. Previous work has included middle and high school teaching, higher education administration, college teaching, educational consulting, literacy development, Head Start, Upward Bound, GED preparation, and the federal Trio programs. She is currently the Program Director of Low Residency Programs at American International College.

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!

• PrefaceUnderstanding Social and Emotional Development and Difficulties in Middle School: An IntroductionChapter 1: Social and Emotional Development during the Middle School Years: Theories and Educational ConsiderationsChapter 2: The Pre-Adolescent and Adolescent Brain: Current Research and UnderstandingsChapter 3: The Pivotal Years: How Educators Can Assist Students with the Tasks and Perils of Middle SchoolChapter 4: Social Media and Middle School-Age DevelopmentChapter 5: Middle School Parenting: Graduation Is Just around the CornerChapter 6: Teaching at the Middle School Level: Best Practices for Promoting Social and Emotional DevelopmentChapter 7: “We’ve Got Each Other’s Backs”: Promoting Social and Emotional Development through Inclusive LeadershipChapter 8: “If You Really Knew Me”: An Effective, Middle School-Led Campaign to Stop BullyingChapter 9: Expanding the Application of Response to Intervention Strategies to Address Social-Emotional Difficulties in Middle SchoolAbout the CoeditorsAbout the Chapter Authors