Teaching and learning in middle and secondary schools : student empowerment through learning communities

Summary: For undergraduate and graduate courses in Middle and Secondary Methods. Hoping to promote teacher excellence and involve teachers in school improvement, this author proffers the learning community approach as a model for how schools can best educate students. Edwards suggests that education's fundamental problems can be solved through the learning communities approach, which offers an ordered, consistent way to satisfy learners' needs, foster meaningful learning, and develop the moral attributes necessary to relate successfully to one's community. Through an emphasis on the National Board of Professional Teaching standards, strong discussion of technology, and examination of the special challenges facing middle and secondary schools, he easily bridges the gap between the theories he advocates and actual classroom practice.