Young teens undergo multiple changes that seem to set them apart from other students. But do middle schools actually meet their special needs? The authors describe some of the challenges and offer ways to tackle them, such as reassessing the organization of grades K-12; specifically assisting the students most in need; finding ways to prevent disciplinary problems; and helping parents understand how they can help their children learn at home.

Mentoring in educational contexts has become a rapidly growing field of study, both in the United States and internationally (Fletcher & Mullen, 2012). The prevalence of mentoring has resulted in the mindset that “everyone thinks they know what mentoring is, and there is an intuitive belief that mentoring works” (Eby, Rhodes, & Allen, 2010, p. 7). How do we know that mentoring works? In this age of accountability, the time is ripe for substantiating evidence through empirical research, what mentoring processes, forms, and strategies lead to more effective teachers and administrators within P?12 contexts. This book is the sixth in the Mentoring Perspectives Series, edited by Dr. Frances Kochan former Dean of the College of Education at Auburn University. This latest book in the series, co?edited by Linda J. Searby and Susan K. Brondyk, brings together reports of recent research on mentoring in K?12 settings for new teachers and new principals. The book has already garnered accolades from mentoring experts: "You will want to add this high?quality volume on mentoring to your library! What a terrific resource for teachers, leaders, administrators, and mentoring scholars alike. Having first?hand knowledge of mentoring practices and programs for P?12 teachers and administrators can help with the national need to retain teachers and principals through such means as excellent, proven methods, programs, and processes of mentoring" ~ Carol A. Mullen, Educational Leadership Professor, Virginia Tech, U.S. Fulbright Scholar; Kappa Delta Pi Presidential Commissioner "This volume, Best Practices in Mentoring for Teacher and Leader Development, forwards principles of effective mentoring, including the role and importance of talk in mentoring, using tools that make mentoring talk more purposeful, analyzing practice, involving mentors in opportunities to share their practice, providing space for mentees to have a voice in mentoring conversations, and promoting learning at all levels as part of instructional leadership in schools. Much research is still needed to build a sense of urgency that mentoring can matter, and ideas promoted within this book can contribute to this important conversation." ~ Randi Nevins Stanulis, Professor, Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University, and Director of Launch into Teaching. "This book is a huge first step in a field where best practices have not yet been agreed upon, and it is sure to be a leading voice in research on teacher and principal mentoring. As such, this book helps to bring together a variety of beliefs, evidence, and practices in teacher and principal mentoring, and gives a clear pathway for others trying to establish best practices in their mentoring fields. For those in the K?12 fields, and in all mentoring practices, this is a thought?provoking, must?read." ~ Nora Domínguez, International Mentoring Association, President and CEO