"Part survival guide and part source of inspiration, this handbook offers middle school educators support and new insights. Stimulating ideas are paired with practical classroom-tested strategies that suggest new ways of thinking and teaching. Covering issues that range from multicultural awareness and interpersonal communication skills to testing and assessment, the book emphasizes the importance of understanding young people and instilling in them the burning desire to learn, both in the classroom and in life. Inspiring and down-to-earth, this book offers teachers a new and refreshing way to succeed in their profession."--BOOK JACKET.