Some are scared of Middle School students... but not me.

Blog #6: "The Ultimate Middle School Classroom" (Chapter 5) March 9, 2011

Vocabulary/Concept Vitalizer

• Single-sex education : (p. 208) "Middle school is the time of greatest hormonal upheaval in both males and females. Boys begin puberty with high doses of testosterone. Over just a few years, they need to learn to manage up to twenty times as much of this sex-and-aggression hormone as females." (p. 208) Educators discuss single-sex options in the Middle School setting, including all female and male schools, or female and male classrooms (based on the academic area). Moving back to the issues of competition, and going back into the history of tribes and "staying with your own" all takes a place in the discussion of single-sex education in our schools.

• Multigenerational schools: (p. 220) The discussion of having many different age groups in the same building, ranging from elementary school up to high school. "The sixth, seventh and eighth graders are constantly around younger children and have to be service oriented and mentorlike toward them." One teacher explains that "if they have a way to help others, most middle school kids really do want to help. They just need to be shown how, and given the opportunity."

• Team Teaching: (p. 220) "A team of teachers meets every morning, for a few moments, to talk about troubled students, what lessons they have planned, how they can support each other, and how they can weave a character lesson or something from a colleague's classroom into their own." Creating a sense of bonding among all teachers in the building, or atleast at the same academic area or grade level, is important for the success of students. It builds a community in all classrooms if this is done.

• Movement: (p. 245) "Given the reality of what is hapening to middle school students' bodies and brains, it si essential that we consider increasing physical movement during the school day." Movement helps kids stay focused, and they are able to get out energy and can relax more in the classroom. Goes back to the discussion of getting rid of recess or shortening the amount of recess in schools. You're kidding, right?

• Character Education: (p. 240) "The CHARACTERplus model" (chapter 4) focuses on community agreement regarding certain key character traits, and absortion of training in these traits into all aspects of schooling. (p. 240) Being that Middle School students are older, having them grow into respectful, caring individuals is important. So as teachers, we must have the focus in Middle School be on building good character, and being a good human being.

Essence Extractor

"We must adapt to the needs of Middle School students, embrace individuality, and have the focus be on helping them to grow as human beings and individuals in society."



Meghan C. Koch (Blog #6: Boys & Girls Learn Differently)