COURSE TITLE: Core III: The Middle School as Organization

COURSE PREFIX AND NUMBER: MGED 3213

HOURS: 3 sh

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Students will examine the Middle School as an organization and elements of an effective Middle School. Middle School philosophy and the origins of the Middle School movement will be examined as the basis of Middle School components such as teaming, flexible scheduling, interdisciplinary curriculum, parental/community involvement and educational structures built to meet student/adolescent needs.

Office Hours: Dr. Warner E121

Mon: 8-9; 2-5

Tue: 4-5

Wed: 8-9; 2-5

Thr: 4-5

Fri: 8-9; 2-5

E-Mail: mwarner@aug.edu Phone: 667-4503

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK PRINCIPLES ADDRESSED:

Learning Outcomes
Students will:
2. understand how students learn and develop and be able to provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development.

5. use an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation

9. be a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and actively seeks the opportunity to grow professionally.

10. foster relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support the learning and well being of all students.

SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Throughout the course students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. examine the historical and research based factors influencing the development of the Middle School philosophy and analyze the basic tenets of this philosophy, comparing and contrasting Middle School to the Jr. High.(NCATE/NMSA 3, 4, 5; PSC II, V; NB VII; CF 9)

2. analyze how elements of the school organization reflect this philosophy. (NCATE/NMSA 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; PSC II, V; NB IV, V, VI, VIII; CF 9)

3. analyze how elements of the school organization reflect the nature of early adolescent students and serve to address student needs.(Management Module)(NCATE/NMSA 3.3, 5.1; PSC II; NB IV, IX, VII, X; CF 2, 5)

4. critique the effectiveness of the current Middle School movement in working toward this philosophy and organization.(NCATE/NMSA 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; PSC II, V; NB IV, V, VI, VIII; CF 9, 2)

5. identify barriers to progress in the Middle School and develop collaborative strategies related to how they may be addressed.(NCATE/NMSA 2, 3, 4.5, 4.6, 6.1; PSC V, VI, VII; NB V, IX, XI; CF 9, 10)

COURSE OUTLINE '02
Course Outline '01
The Middle Grades Program is founded on the premise that instructors model the practices they espouse that students employ in an effective classroom. The course outline is designed to provide topics essential for students to attain the intended course outcomes and objectives. Specific time lines, reading assignments, and assessment dates are not included so that the instructor can model how these are determined along with students to assure that their learning needs are met and questions are addressed from a student centered/student driven perspective.

TOPICS

1. A Middle School philosophy:

a. the movement to Middle School

b. characteristics of a "true" Middle School

c. student centeredness and the adolescent

d. program design

2. School organization:

a. learning communities

b. interdisciplinary teams

c. flexible scheduling

d. activity programs for adolescents

e. school community and families, resource people, community groups, education colleagues

f. school improvement and progress and assessment

g. comprehensive guidance programs

h. pro-active management of student needs(management module)

ASSESSMENT

Performance based standards for each assignment/activity will be determined and explained prior to each assignment. Students will work toward successful attainment of all standards. Assignments which do not meet all standards will be graded returned with specific improvements to be made, as built in intervention. The assessment is designed to require use of higher level thinking skills and to provide authentic opportunities for students to demonstrate learning, as inherent to sound middle grades practice. Assessment of the course objectives may include but is not limited to methods such as: simulation, debate, research, micro-teaching, reflective teaching, lesson/unit development, analysis of interviews and observations, self and peer evaluation.

The course assessment must include evidence of student learning, reflection and self assessment in relation to the following for inclusion in a comprehensive portfolio:
 

• analysis of elements of a true Middle School related to adolescent needs (CF 2,5,9)
• statement of Middle School philosophy in action (CF 2,5,9)
• analysis of role in Middle School related to collaboration and leadership (CF 10)

Block Two: Developing Pedagogy and Content Expertise

A. At school site:
Students will be assigned to teams, in pairs to allow them to work together on Middle School pedagogy assignments and to allow them to work to meet their individual content specialization needs for lab.
Pedagogy:

• include teaching small groups of students/tutoring students
• focus on teaching skills/how decisions are made/ instructional skills emphasized in the block
• have students observe classroom with this focus in mind
• include interactive observations/dialogue with teacher, students
• focus on developing instructional strategies to meet a variety of student needs (exceptionality, diversity, learning styles); work with these students in small groups, one on one
• make transition to some whole class lessons

• have students examine content standards, courses of study, curriculum guides
• have students select appropriate material appropriate to content area(s) and middle grade students
• have students examine a variety of instructional approaches related to areas of content expertise
• have students examine/develop appropriate means to assess content learning, congruent with instructional approaches and learner needs/development

Potential assessments: assessment rubrics for requirements from content area and Reading may be completed. Field teachers will aid in the development of rubric expectations specific to subject area focus in the classroom at that time. Teacher Development faculty may co-develop a rubric for each content area, and for Middle School pedagogy emphasis. Assessment of areas of professionalism will be included.

Assessment of content:

Students will frame out the planning of a unit of time/instruction with field teacher.
Students will develop and implement to some scale authentic/performance based assessments.
Students will document familiarity with content requirements in a learning journal.
Students will analyze various teaching methods/strategies/philosophies in each content area.
Students will use and document usage of technology in the field.

Assessment of pedagogy(Middle School):

Students will analyze lessons as to:

• How they are designed to meet adolescent needs
• How they represent goals which transcend content such as : higher level thinking, decision making, communication, collaboration
• How authentic/active learning is included
• How they make connections across content boundaries/are real world focused

Eichhorn, D. (1966). The middle school. New York: Center for Applied Research in Education.

Epstein, J. Education in the middle grades: National practices and trends. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association.

George, P. (1993). The exemplary middle school. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.

George, P. (1985). Evidence for the middle school. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association.

George, P. (1992). The Middle school and beyond. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Development.

Merenbloom, E. (1991). The team process. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association.

McEwin, K. (1996). America's middle schools: Practices and progress-a 25 year perspective. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association.

Ramsey, R. (1994). Administrators complete school discipline guide. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Romano, L. (1994). Building an effective middle school. Madison, WI: Brown & Benchmark.

Rosen, L. (1992). School discipline practices. Perrysburg, OH: School Justice Institute.

Wiles, J. (1993). The essential middle school. New York: Macmillan Publishing.

Wilson, K. (1994). Redesigning education. New York: Henry Holt & Co.

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