Standard 2: Middle School Philosophy and School Organization

Middle level teacher candidates understand and apply the philosophical foundations of developmentally responsive middle level programs and schools and the organizational structures that support young adolescent development.

 

          Through my Developmentally Responsive Middle School project, my Legacy Leaders project and through team teaching I have succeeded meeting middle grades standard 2. All of these projects and experiences helped me to see how a middle school should be structured and why middle schools are designed the way they are. This standard will help me to understand middle schools and middle school students.

         The Developmentally Responsive Middle School project had me look at aspects of a middle school that are unique to middle schools. Middle school is a time when students are not just going through academic changes but also social and emotional ones. Middle schools need to be equipped with the resources and programs necessary to help students develop into young adults. Through this project I now know that a developmentally responsive middle school should have the following: advisory program, team teaching, core and encore subjects, support personal, and scheduling that allows academic and social learning.  All of these components are research based and I viewed this research when creating my own middle school. The research shows that by having these components students are able to learn more and easier as well as be prepared to enter the world outside of school.

        By doing the Legacy Leaders project I learned about how the middle grades program came about and the importance of the middle grades model. Through this project I learned about why the junior high model was not developmentally responsive and how the middle school model is. I learned the importance of being developmentally responsive to students. By looking at Sue Swaim I learned about the national middle grades association and what goes on there. I learned how to get more involved and how to receive resources to help make the middle school experience the best it can be for students. Also, while doing this project I had to read the middle school philosophy book “This We Believe.” Through this book I learned all about the middle school model and how to apply it to my own classroom.

      Through team teaching I was able to put the middle school model into action. I was able to see first hand the importance of the middle school model. I saw how team teaching enhances the learning of students and gives students a large support system. Teachers are able to create integrated units and thus enhance academic success. All teachers have a support system within their team and are to discuss students and have more than one input on issues. Students also get to form bonds with students are their team and a sense of team pride is created. All of this helps students both academically as well as personally.

      Due to my Developmentally Responsive Middle School project, my Legacy Leaders project and team teaching I have met standard 2. By meeting standard 2 I believe I am a more qualified teacher and that I have the means to not only teach my students content but to make them responsible adults. I now understand the importance of being developmentally responsive and the middle school model.