Are Middle Schools the MIddle Child of Education

Presentation about the History and Role of Middle Schools

1. Are Middle Schools the MIddle Child of Education? Peter Kupfer LEEA 475

2. History Original Model of Education was K-8 then 9-12 The Junior High Appeared around 1900 (Grade 7-9) High Elementary Drop Out Rates Accelerate College Preparation Adolescents posed a challenged Within 40 years, 50% of school structures included a junior high

3. Adolescents Are Tricky Motivation Shifts from Academics to Peer Relationships Major time of biological change coupled with a decrease in parental oversight 6th grade is a critical point where cognitively students are able to really start to dig deep, but emotionally they are still insecure

4. The Middle School Is Born Children were beyond the elementary world, but not ready for high school Original advocates proposed Individualized instruction at each students pace No competition Exploratory Courses MS PE Interdisciplinary Team Teaching First Middle School Arrived in 1950 1971 - 45% housed grades 7-9 and only 16% housed grades 6-8 2000 - 5% housed grades and 59% housed grades 6-8 86% of middle grade building 9th grade had been put back in high school

5. Has Middle School Been Effective

6. School Transitions When comparing students in a K-8 building to students who go to a middle grades building before high school we find: More negative attitudes towards schools & decreased self-esteem in JH & MS Achievement loss in the first year after transition to MS/JH and in 9th grade Worse attendance in MS Even worse if multiple transitions or merging schools together. Poor peer stability could be a cause.

7. Implementation of Middle School Philosophy Interdisciplinary Teams Poorly Implemented Partial implementation has led to no or negative results Teams were supposed to give the personal feeling of elementary while allowing for rigorous curriculum Studies in Canada do not show the same drop in achievement during a transition In an international study of students aged 11½ to 14 US students US Scored worse in school climate 8th out of 11 in feeling socially isolated

8. Teacher Training Few states have specific middle grades requirements and specific university sequences 2002 - 58% of MS teachers had an K-8 certificate, 46% had a 6-12 certificate, and only 6% has a middle grades endorsement Teachers need training How adolescents behave Working on in interdisciplinary team

9. Where to Go Next Teacher certification and student achievement Something more about MS vs JH Something more about grade configuration Maybe about efficacy of implementing MS recommendations