Middle Grades Education

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Middle Grades Education

• C I 462
• Dr. Waggoner

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Philosophy of an Effective Middle School

• Based on unique needs of young adolescents.
• Student-centered
• Includes provisions for pre-service and
  in-service teacher training.

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Philosophy Cont.

• Accepts and respects individuality.
• Same teachers share the same students over the
  same block of time in the same part of the
  building.

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Advantages Of The Middle School Organizational
Pattern

• Enhanced articulation
• Flexible block scheduling
• Interdisciplinary approach

• Affective education
• Intramural emphasis
• Exploratory opportunities
• Trained educators

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Terms To Know

• Advisory Time
• Block/Flexible Schedule
• Common Planning (Team Duty) time
• Core Curriculum

• Early Adolescence
• Exploration
• Heterogeneous Grouping
• Homogeneous Grouping

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Terms To Know Cont.

• Interdisciplinary Program
• Interscholastic
• Intrascholastic Or Intramural

• Metacognition
• Transescence
• Mini-Courses

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Major Distinctions Between the Middle School and
the Junior High School

• Middle School
• Student-centered
• Fosters collaboration and empowerment of teachers
  and students
• Focuses on creative exploration and
  experimentation of subject matter

• Junior High School
• Subject-centered
• Fosters competition and empowerment of
  administrators
• Focuses on mastery
• of concepts and skills
• in separate disciplines

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Distinctions cont.

• Middle School
• Requires a regular six-period day of 50 to
  55-minute periods
• Varies length of time students are in courses
• Encourages multi-materials approach to instruction

• Junior High School
• Allows for flexible scheduling with large blocks
  of time
• Offers subjects for one semester or one year
• Depends on textbook-oriented instruction

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Distinctions cont.

• Middle School
• Emphasizes both affective and cognitive
  development of student
• Offers advisor/advisee teacher-oriented guidance
  program
• Provides high-interest mini-courses during
  school day

• Junior High School
• Emphasizes only cognitive development of student
• Offers study hall and access to counselor upon
  request
• Provided highly-structured activity program after
  school

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Distinctions cont.

• Middle School
• Uses varied delivery systems with high level of
  interaction among students and teachers
• Organizes athletics around intramural concept

• Junior High School
• Uses lecture styles a majority of the tome with
  high percentage of teacher talk time
• Organizes athletics around interscholastic concept

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Contributions to the Middle Schoolfrom the Jr.
High School

• Guidance-oriented homerooms
• Special interests clubs and student activities
• Curriculum and scheduling experimentation
• Vocational opportunities
• Career possibilities

• Provided transition
• Provided scientific study of adolescence
• Implemented new grade level pattern
• Expanded and enriched curriculum
• Exploratory programs

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Carnegie Recommendations

• Create small communities for learning
• Teach a core of common knowledge
• Ensure success for all students
• Empower teachers and administrators

• Prepare teachers for the Middle Level
• Improve academic success through health and
  fitness
• Reengage families
• Connect schools with communities

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I. Create Small Communities for Learning

• Smaller learning environments
• Teaming of teachers and students
• Adult advisor for each student

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II. Teaching a core of common knowledge

• Critical thinking
• Healthy lifestyle
• Active citizens
• Integration across disciplines
• Learn as well as test successfully

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III. Ensure Success for All Students

• Group students for learning
• Flexible scheduling
• Expand the structure of opportunity for learning

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IV. Empower Teachers and Administrators

• Give teacher greater classroom control
• Establish building governance committees
• Designate leaders for the teaching process

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V. Prepare Teachers for the Middle Level

• Develop expert teachers for young adolescents

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VII. Reengage the Families

• Offer parents meaningful roles in school
  governance
• Keep parents informed
• Offer parents opportunities to support the
  learning process at home and at school

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VI. Improve Academic Success Through Health
Fitness

• Ensure student access to health services
• Establish school as a health promoting environment

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VIII. Connect Schools with Communities

• Place students in youth service
• Ensure student access to health and social
  services
• Support the middle grade education program
• Augment resources for teachers and students
• Expand career guidance for students