The Middle School Model

 

What is this middle school concept?  Why is it unique?  How are middle schools different from junior high schools?

 

“We knew that we were more than facilitators of academic learning. We knew that we were committed to the whole child.” – Nancy Doda (AMLE, 2013)

 

It has been so interesting for me to learn about the philosophy behind the middle school movement and how it differs from the junior high model. What it really boils down to is junior high’s are just slightly smaller buildings with a younger group of students who follow the same methodology as high schools… Independent content teachers which lacks of connectivity via teaming to the student group and teaching group as a whole. In watching the AMLE video, “Reorganization of Middle Schools”, the key components that I took away from a true middle school are as follows (AMLE, 2013):

-          Interdisciplinary team of teachers in key content areas along with specialists

-          Daily coordinated delivery of the entire curriculum across content areas

-          Teaming that connects students and teachers

-          Block scheduling

I realized when watching and reading for this module that this movement was really still in its infancy when I was in middle school in the mid 90’s. My sixth-grade experience was based on teamed teachers but by seventh grade, my school followed more of a junior high model with a pool of content teachers and a lack of cohorts of students. More recently, however, I’ve witnessed this teaming philosophy implemented throughout the grades within the school’s I’ve been assigned to when subbing. These schools no longer view this model as a transition plan for the youngest in the building.  

This application across the grades makes a lot of sense to me after learning about the needs of young adolescents. It is a wonderful steppingstone, bridging the gap between the cocoon of elementary school and the independent world of high school. Teaming helps to support a connection between the curriculum and creates a network of support for students within their peer group as well as with their teachers. I really appreciate that a component of the middle school model is that every student has an adult figure in the building that advocates and supports their journey. Teaming is a great way to ensure that students have and feel that support. And working on a team where students are known across the teams can help students collaborate on meeting the needs of each student under their umbrella.

My dad was a middle school teacher and then principal for almost the entirety of his 35 year education career. Although he retired from education in 2007, I should talk to him about how he witnessed the evolution of the junior high to the middle school, and even the implementation of the middle school model over his career. Maybe elements of his journey can  help lead me to new and better understanding for mine.

 

 

 

References

AMLE. (2013, November 6). Reorganization of Middle Level Schools. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WktR9zHigCE