The goal of every school should be to foster healthy academic and personal growth in every student. For young adolescents, their academic success is highly dependent on their other developmental needs being met. This We Believe is a call to action that highlights 14 specific components of a successful middle school. In order to obtain student success, it is important that all teachers and staff at a middle school share the same vision. These 14 components cannot stand alone in creating a successful school. Employing one or two in a school is a start, but a school really needs to create a system, where all 14 components are seamlessly integrated. This We Believe is a vision that relies on creating a school culture which will be integral to student success.
Keep it Positive!
In order to create a school culture which with foster academic and personal growth, a safe, positive learning environment is crucial. One of the components is to have an inviting, supportive, and safe environment. School should be a place where a child feels comfortable enough to express their opinions and to be themselves. Regrettably, in the world we live in today, the lives of children are in such turmoil, that school may be the only place that they feel safe. It is our job as teachers to be aware of this. Younger students are beginning to engage in at risk behaviors more frequently. School wide efforts need to be made to promote and foster health, wellness and safety. A middle school should emphasis positive decision making, coping and refusal skills throughout the curriculum. Teaching these skills should not be separate from the academic curriculum, but should be integrated throughout. Students need to be shown consequences and how their decisions can affect the rest of their lives. Simply giving students lectures on how students must not engage in at risk behavior will only increase their chances of trying it. No student wants to be told what to do. Instead, they should be shown what CAN happen if they do take part in such at risk activities. Student wellness should be one of the main goals of a middle school, and it is important that all teachers work together to help promote this. Teachers are examples of wellness and healthy choices for students. If students see teachers frequently taking part in unhealthy behaviors (such as smoking on school grounds) they are likely to emulate it. Teachers inherently need to practice what they preach. This does not mean teachers should all be perfect citizens, but they need to be aware that their behaviors and decisions affect other students.
Another component of This We Believe is to have adult advocates for every student who are trained and aware of student’s social, emotional, physical, cognitive and moral development. With an adult advocate for each student, a sense of trust is formed among students and adults that also help promote the positive school environment that schools are shooting for. In the previous paragraph, I mentioned that school may be the only safe, stable place students have to go. Students also, may not have a positive, stable adult mentor in their life that they can talk to and seek guidance from. Considering that our society has more children coming from single parent homes than ever, I think that is very important that students be matched up with someone who can be a positive influence in their lives. These positive, supportive relationships directly influence the culture of the school.
A positive learning environment doesn’t stop in the classroom or the school but extends into the community. Schools that develop family and community partnerships are exercising their positive influence beyond the classroom. A goal of schools should be to promote citizenship and create positive family and community members. Students should be participating in activities around the community such as community service and should be making themselves visible and active. Schools should have the same role. Not only does guidance come from the adults in the school, guidance and support services can came from the community and families as well.
A positive school environment equals positive educational experiences for all.
We’re all on the Same Page
In order for schools to be successful, it is also important that all teachers and staff share the same academic goals and expectations. This shared vision helps guide decision making by all. This shared vision should be reflected in the work teachers do every day, and their expectations for their classrooms. High expectations for every member of the learning community should be developed. This vision is best employed by creative collaborative leaders, who promote professional development within the staff, and set up times and days for collaboration to occur. It is important that teachers meet and collaborate to share ideas and develop themselves as educators. Successful early release days, teacher’s workshops, and after school meetings are all times that can be used for developing this type of shared vision.
I think there are a number of levels which teachers should meet on. One level is the content level. Teachers should use content level meetings to develop assessments, and share ideas on what is working and what isn’t. One of the components of This We Believe is to create relevant, challenging and integrative curriculum. Relevance is a key aspect in curriculum. Students simply will not be engaged in learning that is not active and relevant to them. By helping them connect what they are learning to their own lives, is when the real learning takes place. Without any relevance, there will be little interest in what is being taught. Without any time to meet with other teachers teaching the same content area, a rich, strong curriculum can simply not be developed.
Teachers should also have time to meet in their “teams”. By working in teams they can discuss students they are concerned about, develop interdisciplinary units, and get ideas from each other. This is also a chance for teachers to share learning and teaching approaches, since differentiated strategies and diversity in the classroom is key for successful learning. For a school to truly be successful, this time for communication is absolutely vital.
Another aspect of being on the same page is being on the same page as students. Another component of This We Believe is that each educator values working with adolescents and is prepared to do so. Adolescence is an interesting and at many times challenging age, an age when many changes in students are occurring. Educators need to be attuned to specific developmental traits and characteristics which students of that age will display. Teachers, who go into this profession without any clue about the way students of the age are developing, will likely face many problems. All teachers need to understand that students are developing but they are not developing all at once. Educators need to be patient with student development and understand it won’t all come at once. Like anything, development takes time. Just because a student looks mature and grown up doesn’t mean that they have developed yet cognitively. Every aspect of development happens at a different time.
This We Believe is a call to action. If all aspects of the vision are employed, then a school can be successful. More and more schools need to adapt these principals into their schools, because they surely are built for student successes. It is important for school leaders and administrators don’t get discouraged. Implementing these components and completely changing the culture of a school takes time. These changes will not happen over night. Patients, communication and collaboration are the keys to making these changes successful.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Alyssa's Reflection
This We Believe asserted fourteen standards or beliefs for the creation and upkeep of a successful middle school. Every one of the standards is imperative for generating an educational experience that is fulfilling and meaningful for our students. Teachers and administrators need to firmly believe in these standards and instill them in their daily educational lives. While many of the beliefs seem like common sense, they are something that teachers and administrators need to be reminded of often, whether they remind themselves or each other! It is extremely important that all fourteen beliefs are evident in a middle school, without them students’ educations will not be complete.
Environment…It matters!
One of the standards This We Believe puts forth is that having an inviting, supportive, and safe environment is crucial in middle schools. This is one of the major factors in my personal philosophy of education. I am a firm believer that students can not learn and produce work to their greatest potential if they do not feel comfortable and safe in the classroom. It is my job as a teacher to ensure that each of my students knows I respect them and their work, that I will support any efforts they make academically, and that I care about them and their future. It is also my job to make certain that each student is treated with respect by his/her peers in my classroom. Absolutely no put-downs, rude comments, or threats of any kind will be tolerated. Students need to feel safe. It is the job of the administrators to make sure this same belief is followed throughout the entire school. Teachers and administrators need to be aware of maintaining a safe environment in all areas of the school, including the hallways, the cafeteria, sports fields, buses, and every other area in which the school is involved.
This belief ties in perfectly with several of the other beliefs, including making school-wide efforts and policies that foster health, wellness, and safety. While providing a safe and accepting environment, schools are also teaching students values and morals that they will carry with them as they affect other environments. We are shaping students into adults, the practices, attitudes, and mannerisms they see and are expected to show during the middle school years will carry though into their adult life. While we as educators do not have influence over all aspects of students’ lives, in the areas we do, we have an obligation to show by example how to be a kind and accepting person.
The belief that all students should have an adult advocate also ties in with establishing a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment. Each and every student deserves to know that there is an adult who cares about their success in the academic world. This advocate needs to be person who the student feels comfortable with and trusts. The school must find a way to ensure that each student has an advocate like this, a program, needs to be put in place. It will take a great deal of communication between staff members in order to ensure that all students are covered. Schools need to provide a support network for students; this includes emotional and intellectual support as well as guidance.
We Are Not Alone
As educators too often we show up at school, close our doors, teach, and go home. This We Believe does not agree with this manner of teaching, nor do I. Teaching is not a solitary sport! It takes a team to give our students the best educational possible. We have all heard the saying, “It takes a village…” School is our “village” and all members need to be involved in the molding of the young minds within it. It is teachers’ responsibility to know their students, and also to make sure that other educators know their students. If one teacher realizes there is a problem that has to be shared with other teachers who interact with that student. This also needs to be done if something positive happens. Teachers need to be a united front. It will make teaching easier, and provide students with a better education.
Our school must include and involve parents and community. Without these two ingredients, we are failing our students. Middle grades schools have to make a commitment to the community, and in turn, the community will give back to the school in immeasurable ways. Students will learn community pride and the community will know their youth are receiving an education that will aid them in life.
Having a shared vision is just another way to show we are not alone as educators. A shared vision must be shared by staff, faculty, community, and students’ families. Having a shared vision will ensure that students know exactly what to expect of school and what is expected of them while they are in school. Shared vision gives clear direction to the schools leaders when they come to planning, they have objectives and goals. Together these objectives and goals can be met; however they must be important to all involved. The shared vision should include using different methods of instruction, teaching to different learning styles, and taking student diversity into account.
Curriculum Meets Real-life
To often curriculum has no relevance to students’ lives. They feel no connection to what they are learning, they have no idea why they are learning it, and they don’t care. A successful school has to base their curriculum on things that students find relevant, that they find challenging, that they can explore, and the curriculum has to relate through different subject areas. When all of these things come together, students will be interested in the curriculum, care about their learning, and become intrinsically motivated. Intrinsic motivation will greatly help active learning to take place in the classroom. Assessment of the curriculum should also be authentic and meaningful.
Posted By Alyssa
Environment…It matters!
One of the standards This We Believe puts forth is that having an inviting, supportive, and safe environment is crucial in middle schools. This is one of the major factors in my personal philosophy of education. I am a firm believer that students can not learn and produce work to their greatest potential if they do not feel comfortable and safe in the classroom. It is my job as a teacher to ensure that each of my students knows I respect them and their work, that I will support any efforts they make academically, and that I care about them and their future. It is also my job to make certain that each student is treated with respect by his/her peers in my classroom. Absolutely no put-downs, rude comments, or threats of any kind will be tolerated. Students need to feel safe. It is the job of the administrators to make sure this same belief is followed throughout the entire school. Teachers and administrators need to be aware of maintaining a safe environment in all areas of the school, including the hallways, the cafeteria, sports fields, buses, and every other area in which the school is involved.
This belief ties in perfectly with several of the other beliefs, including making school-wide efforts and policies that foster health, wellness, and safety. While providing a safe and accepting environment, schools are also teaching students values and morals that they will carry with them as they affect other environments. We are shaping students into adults, the practices, attitudes, and mannerisms they see and are expected to show during the middle school years will carry though into their adult life. While we as educators do not have influence over all aspects of students’ lives, in the areas we do, we have an obligation to show by example how to be a kind and accepting person.
The belief that all students should have an adult advocate also ties in with establishing a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment. Each and every student deserves to know that there is an adult who cares about their success in the academic world. This advocate needs to be person who the student feels comfortable with and trusts. The school must find a way to ensure that each student has an advocate like this, a program, needs to be put in place. It will take a great deal of communication between staff members in order to ensure that all students are covered. Schools need to provide a support network for students; this includes emotional and intellectual support as well as guidance.
We Are Not Alone
As educators too often we show up at school, close our doors, teach, and go home. This We Believe does not agree with this manner of teaching, nor do I. Teaching is not a solitary sport! It takes a team to give our students the best educational possible. We have all heard the saying, “It takes a village…” School is our “village” and all members need to be involved in the molding of the young minds within it. It is teachers’ responsibility to know their students, and also to make sure that other educators know their students. If one teacher realizes there is a problem that has to be shared with other teachers who interact with that student. This also needs to be done if something positive happens. Teachers need to be a united front. It will make teaching easier, and provide students with a better education.
Our school must include and involve parents and community. Without these two ingredients, we are failing our students. Middle grades schools have to make a commitment to the community, and in turn, the community will give back to the school in immeasurable ways. Students will learn community pride and the community will know their youth are receiving an education that will aid them in life.
Having a shared vision is just another way to show we are not alone as educators. A shared vision must be shared by staff, faculty, community, and students’ families. Having a shared vision will ensure that students know exactly what to expect of school and what is expected of them while they are in school. Shared vision gives clear direction to the schools leaders when they come to planning, they have objectives and goals. Together these objectives and goals can be met; however they must be important to all involved. The shared vision should include using different methods of instruction, teaching to different learning styles, and taking student diversity into account.
Curriculum Meets Real-life
To often curriculum has no relevance to students’ lives. They feel no connection to what they are learning, they have no idea why they are learning it, and they don’t care. A successful school has to base their curriculum on things that students find relevant, that they find challenging, that they can explore, and the curriculum has to relate through different subject areas. When all of these things come together, students will be interested in the curriculum, care about their learning, and become intrinsically motivated. Intrinsic motivation will greatly help active learning to take place in the classroom. Assessment of the curriculum should also be authentic and meaningful.
Posted By Alyssa
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Erin's Reflection
This We Believe embodies much of what teachers should be striving for, specifically in the realm of middle school education. Giving the reader fourteen different points to work with in order to create more effective middle schools, the authors provide much more than just points of reference. These points are what should be common sense to teachers, and provide some food for thought on how to incorporate this system into the current middle school structure. I found that these suggestions, while crucial all on their own, can be formed into different groups, supporting each other and forming a web of importance and thought:
Professionalism within the Education Field
Teachers are, of course, some of the first people students come in contact with on the first day of school and on a daily basis. This We Believe suggests that teachers should be specially trained in the ways of middle school education, and I have to agree with their recommendation. The middle school age group provides a special sense of who the students are and who they want to be. While high school deals with adolescent changes too, middle schools are in the middle of hormonal warfare, and a teacher should be specially prepared to deal with educating students going through these changes. Many graduate schools offer programs where students can become highly qualified to teach middle levels, but many teachers may not have the time or money to take on graduate school. I think more undergraduate institutions should pick up the program and work on developing it, our school included. If we want to be seen as a unique, powerful institution, we need to step up to the plate and make a difference for our future middle school students.
The book also recommends that schools need “courageous, collaborative leadership” and “school-initiated family and community partnerships.” Having leaders in the middle school setting means more than just having the principal work with teams every once in awhile. Teachers need to take responsibility for the learning in their classrooms, and the principal needs to be a key component in a collaborative community. Just because teams are separate in the students they teach does not mean that communication between them should not happen. Quite the contrary, leadership from each group should be represented to make one large team for the school. Students will see teachers as a team, not people who just happen to work together. Partnerships are also important because they can be used in creating real life assessments. One teacher in my middle school got in touch with maple syrup experts and had them talk to our class while we learned how to tap trees. It shows students that everyone can be a part of what is going on at school, and makes their learning important.
Finally, professionalism comes from being part of a system that includes more than just the teachers; everyone must work for the same cause. A teacher who lets situations slide in his or her classroom that have been outlined as inappropriate is working in the wrong direction. When told that homophobic words are not allowed, students are confused when they are allowed to say them in one classroom and not another. I believe that teachers need to work together in getting all rules, projects, and causes to mesh from classroom to classroom, and around the school. School-wide efforts would seem to be some of the most effective, so why not try those? For students who do not have stability at home, this provides some of what they are missing in their attempts for success.
Guidance towards Learning and Support
In a time of chaos in the students’ bodies and out in their interpersonal relationships, it is essential to establish a place where students can have support systems of individuals who care about them. By creating a safe and inviting environment, students are more likely to want to attend school and be closer with their teachers. I remember having teachers who did not seem to want to connect to students, and the students could tell. Their classes were not much fun, and teacher-student communication was uncomfortable. I think that it is very important to make students feel like they can try out new ways of thinking and learning, and that their efforts will not make that any less of a person. Being together as students and teachers also means that we need to be seen as a team in the learning experience. Teachers do not just teach; they learn as much from their students as their students are learning from them. If we let them know that it is okay to make mistakes, both sides can come together to make the classroom and school friendlier and more open. This does not mean, however, that teachers and students can work without guidelines and organization. Rules that carryover should be put in place so that students know what is expected of them. I also think that teachers should ask students what they expect out of their learning experience, giving teachers some guidelines to work with before opening up the year.
As a future middle school teacher, I want the chance to be able to know my students well. A teacher-student advisory program would work in this case, and though there are lots of ways to incorporate one into the learning community, the main point is that students feel comfortable with at least one adult in the school. If students do not have anyone to talk to, how will they learn to voice their own opinions or needs for later on in life? Students need to be justified in their education, and need to be seen as people who have as much to say about the school as the educators. Guidance also needs to be prepared for the students, and should be a team effort between the teachers, the guidance professionals, and the parents or guardians. As a team, students will be able to see that everyone cares about them, not just a select few who “do it because it is their job.”
Teaching to More than Just the Norm
With all of the talk of curriculum and standards in today’s schools, it is a wonder than schools still have enough choice to be able to change the curriculum to what the students need. This is exactly what the authors suggest, and it makes complete sense. While still meeting the standards, curriculum should be geared toward the students and their needs. Teaching them something that has nothing to do with their emotional or intellectual needs, like how to write a dissertation, would not do any good for the students or the teacher. Not all students learn the same way, either, so teachers should not teach to their own strengths. Yes, it may be easier, but it does not help students who do not have the same strengths. By trying different ways of teaching, students experience different ways of learning and work on becoming metacognitive. Teachers need to grow in their styles just as much as students do. Assessments should be real-world based and should be clear enough that students do not ask “Why are we even doing this?” Students can get excited for real world jobs or tasks by bringing them into the classroom.
Teachers should also work together to create units of study that carry skills from one subject to another. For example, students could be taking a trip through the Middle East and explore the region through each of their subjects. Expectations, like rules, should be carried over from one class to another, and should be high. Each student can achieve greatness, and should know that his or her teacher believes that. That may be my own philosophy, but it seems ridiculous to become a teacher if you do not believe in each student. By believing in them, they learn to believe in themselves. Teachers also need to believe in each other, and parents should believe in their students’ teachers. Together, education is stronger than piece by piece communication. If we can all expect the best from each other, we will achieve much more.
In the authors' last suggestions, they try to empower those who have read this book and to spread the word about what could be done with our current middle schools. Though it came across as more of a publicity plea than a suggestion, I like the idea of getting everyone involved. If we are all on the same page, it will be a smoother transition for everyone. We are in this for education and the students. We need to remember that.
Professionalism within the Education Field
Teachers are, of course, some of the first people students come in contact with on the first day of school and on a daily basis. This We Believe suggests that teachers should be specially trained in the ways of middle school education, and I have to agree with their recommendation. The middle school age group provides a special sense of who the students are and who they want to be. While high school deals with adolescent changes too, middle schools are in the middle of hormonal warfare, and a teacher should be specially prepared to deal with educating students going through these changes. Many graduate schools offer programs where students can become highly qualified to teach middle levels, but many teachers may not have the time or money to take on graduate school. I think more undergraduate institutions should pick up the program and work on developing it, our school included. If we want to be seen as a unique, powerful institution, we need to step up to the plate and make a difference for our future middle school students.
The book also recommends that schools need “courageous, collaborative leadership” and “school-initiated family and community partnerships.” Having leaders in the middle school setting means more than just having the principal work with teams every once in awhile. Teachers need to take responsibility for the learning in their classrooms, and the principal needs to be a key component in a collaborative community. Just because teams are separate in the students they teach does not mean that communication between them should not happen. Quite the contrary, leadership from each group should be represented to make one large team for the school. Students will see teachers as a team, not people who just happen to work together. Partnerships are also important because they can be used in creating real life assessments. One teacher in my middle school got in touch with maple syrup experts and had them talk to our class while we learned how to tap trees. It shows students that everyone can be a part of what is going on at school, and makes their learning important.
Finally, professionalism comes from being part of a system that includes more than just the teachers; everyone must work for the same cause. A teacher who lets situations slide in his or her classroom that have been outlined as inappropriate is working in the wrong direction. When told that homophobic words are not allowed, students are confused when they are allowed to say them in one classroom and not another. I believe that teachers need to work together in getting all rules, projects, and causes to mesh from classroom to classroom, and around the school. School-wide efforts would seem to be some of the most effective, so why not try those? For students who do not have stability at home, this provides some of what they are missing in their attempts for success.
Guidance towards Learning and Support
In a time of chaos in the students’ bodies and out in their interpersonal relationships, it is essential to establish a place where students can have support systems of individuals who care about them. By creating a safe and inviting environment, students are more likely to want to attend school and be closer with their teachers. I remember having teachers who did not seem to want to connect to students, and the students could tell. Their classes were not much fun, and teacher-student communication was uncomfortable. I think that it is very important to make students feel like they can try out new ways of thinking and learning, and that their efforts will not make that any less of a person. Being together as students and teachers also means that we need to be seen as a team in the learning experience. Teachers do not just teach; they learn as much from their students as their students are learning from them. If we let them know that it is okay to make mistakes, both sides can come together to make the classroom and school friendlier and more open. This does not mean, however, that teachers and students can work without guidelines and organization. Rules that carryover should be put in place so that students know what is expected of them. I also think that teachers should ask students what they expect out of their learning experience, giving teachers some guidelines to work with before opening up the year.
As a future middle school teacher, I want the chance to be able to know my students well. A teacher-student advisory program would work in this case, and though there are lots of ways to incorporate one into the learning community, the main point is that students feel comfortable with at least one adult in the school. If students do not have anyone to talk to, how will they learn to voice their own opinions or needs for later on in life? Students need to be justified in their education, and need to be seen as people who have as much to say about the school as the educators. Guidance also needs to be prepared for the students, and should be a team effort between the teachers, the guidance professionals, and the parents or guardians. As a team, students will be able to see that everyone cares about them, not just a select few who “do it because it is their job.”
Teaching to More than Just the Norm
With all of the talk of curriculum and standards in today’s schools, it is a wonder than schools still have enough choice to be able to change the curriculum to what the students need. This is exactly what the authors suggest, and it makes complete sense. While still meeting the standards, curriculum should be geared toward the students and their needs. Teaching them something that has nothing to do with their emotional or intellectual needs, like how to write a dissertation, would not do any good for the students or the teacher. Not all students learn the same way, either, so teachers should not teach to their own strengths. Yes, it may be easier, but it does not help students who do not have the same strengths. By trying different ways of teaching, students experience different ways of learning and work on becoming metacognitive. Teachers need to grow in their styles just as much as students do. Assessments should be real-world based and should be clear enough that students do not ask “Why are we even doing this?” Students can get excited for real world jobs or tasks by bringing them into the classroom.
Teachers should also work together to create units of study that carry skills from one subject to another. For example, students could be taking a trip through the Middle East and explore the region through each of their subjects. Expectations, like rules, should be carried over from one class to another, and should be high. Each student can achieve greatness, and should know that his or her teacher believes that. That may be my own philosophy, but it seems ridiculous to become a teacher if you do not believe in each student. By believing in them, they learn to believe in themselves. Teachers also need to believe in each other, and parents should believe in their students’ teachers. Together, education is stronger than piece by piece communication. If we can all expect the best from each other, we will achieve much more.
In the authors' last suggestions, they try to empower those who have read this book and to spread the word about what could be done with our current middle schools. Though it came across as more of a publicity plea than a suggestion, I like the idea of getting everyone involved. If we are all on the same page, it will be a smoother transition for everyone. We are in this for education and the students. We need to remember that.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Michael's Reflection
Students are our business, and their success is our profit. If we want to succeed as teachers we need to remember the students. This We Believe states that curriculum should be student-based and relevant, challenging, integrative and exploratory. A diverse curriculum will appeal to every student because it focuses on what makes them unique and connects to the community they come from. Thus, according to This We Believe, using multiple learning and teaching approaches that respond to our student's diversity is important. Each student brings their own successes, their own failures and their own talents to our classroom and as teachers, it is our responsibility to make sure that every student has a chance to share what makes them special. Also, This We Believe and the says the educational community must expect high expectations of every member. Students and teachers alike need to be held accountable to hold up their end of the educational continuum: teachers pass on their knowledge to the students and create an authentic learning environment, while students listen, keep developing their learning and provide the teacher with feedback for future planning. The student-teacher relationship is fresh out of M. C. Escher's "Drawing Hands" where both sides are constantly adding to and changing the other for the better. The relationship is effective only as long as both the teacher and the student are holding up their end of the bargain. This is what This We Believe describes as students and teachers engaged in active learning, because both groups are working together toward a common goal: student success.
Teachers who want to teach Middle School should take professional development and learn how to best work with this age group. This We Believe states that successful schools have teachers who value working with adolescents and are prepared to do so. A teacher who is trained to work with adolescents and understands their plight is more likely to know what they need in order to succeed: the success of the student must be our primary goal as teachers. This We Believe mentions an inviting, supportive and safe environment. I want my students to feel safe to share their ideas in the classroom, and me understanding their cognitive development is the first step in this process. If you do not consider what the student is feeling, then how can you possibly teach them in a way that benefits them. Our students are changing physically and have a ton of energy, so remember to let them get up once in a while and move. Our students are at a crossroads between the individual of yesterday and the moral, psychological citizen of tomorrow, so help them along by being an advocate and helping them interact with one another and make connections. This We Believe states that every student needs an adult advocate, someone they can go to when they hit trouble in school or just need to find a solution to whatever is bothering them during the transition to adulthood.
We need to be united in our endeavor to help students. This We Believe tells us that we need a shared vision that guides decisions, which basically means that the entire educational community needs to be on the same page. This is why teams are such an integral part of the true Middle School, because they allow students to experience a collaborative learning experience and get the full benefit of everything the teachers have to offer. If one teacher is acting apart from the rest, students feel confused about what is expected of them and lose interest in school altogether. Next, This We Believe mentions that courageous, collaborative leadership is a must in the Middle grades classroom. Teachers are bound to run right into trouble working with this age group because they are unpredictable and always re-evaluating their place in the structure, often feeling as if they don't know where they fit in. One job of a teacher is to let each student know they do belong and helping them find their place in the community while also trying to teach them knowledge at the same time. In this way, Middle School teachers have to maintain a healthy, productive balancing act for their students that meets all the standards while taking the individual student's personality into consideration. In This We Believe, they mention that quality learning comes from authentic assessment and evaluation programs. If teachers are mindful of their students and provide assessment designed to get the students thinking and yearning for more, then school is successful. Otherwise, I believe that students start to lose interest in school and stop listening. Once that happens, the student may never check back in.
There must be a community of support for the students. This We Believe says successful schools are characterized by school-initiated family and community partnerships. I agree that education must be a joint effort between the entire educational community, which means that parents, teachers, the principal, the superintendent, the School Board and even the community at large are responsible for the development of the students. School cannot be separate from the home for we want students to become life-long, consistent
learners. The only students can become consistent learners is to show them that education is not a six hour commitment, but a daily non-stop mindset in thinking and discovering. According to This We Believe, there must be organizational structures that support meaningful relationships and learning. this goes back to teachers and students working together within the classroom and within the bigger context of the community to keep their minds open to each other. Each level is focused on protecting and developing the resources of the level below them: Superintendents advise the Principals who provide support to the teachers and the teachers and parents watch over the students. Every level understands its responsibility and as long as they work together, then the structure is effective for safe and productive learning.
Students need guidance to succeed. First and foremost, This We Believe says there must be guidance and support services available to our students. This comes in two forms: 1) As actual guidance counselors that provide assistance to the students both in personal and educational situations, and 2) teachers and parents, who must serve as advocates to children and guide them through a safe and productive adolescent period. A teacher's main goal must be to instill knowledge and understanding, but our second job is to serve as an advocate for our students even when it seems unnecessary. According to This We Believe, another important aspect of a successful school is school-wide efforts to foster health, wellness and safety. Many of the ideas in This We Believe do seem to repeat themselves, because they are extremely important to forming and maintaining a successful school environment, and safety is one of those elements most harped upon. Students are forced to attend school; they do not have a choice and so it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment, since we are forcing them to be there. That said-students should not be made to feel forced, but rather should feel excited to be in school, which can be accomplished if the school puts policies in action that promote learning rather than take away from it.
Teachers who want to teach Middle School should take professional development and learn how to best work with this age group. This We Believe states that successful schools have teachers who value working with adolescents and are prepared to do so. A teacher who is trained to work with adolescents and understands their plight is more likely to know what they need in order to succeed: the success of the student must be our primary goal as teachers. This We Believe mentions an inviting, supportive and safe environment. I want my students to feel safe to share their ideas in the classroom, and me understanding their cognitive development is the first step in this process. If you do not consider what the student is feeling, then how can you possibly teach them in a way that benefits them. Our students are changing physically and have a ton of energy, so remember to let them get up once in a while and move. Our students are at a crossroads between the individual of yesterday and the moral, psychological citizen of tomorrow, so help them along by being an advocate and helping them interact with one another and make connections. This We Believe states that every student needs an adult advocate, someone they can go to when they hit trouble in school or just need to find a solution to whatever is bothering them during the transition to adulthood.
We need to be united in our endeavor to help students. This We Believe tells us that we need a shared vision that guides decisions, which basically means that the entire educational community needs to be on the same page. This is why teams are such an integral part of the true Middle School, because they allow students to experience a collaborative learning experience and get the full benefit of everything the teachers have to offer. If one teacher is acting apart from the rest, students feel confused about what is expected of them and lose interest in school altogether. Next, This We Believe mentions that courageous, collaborative leadership is a must in the Middle grades classroom. Teachers are bound to run right into trouble working with this age group because they are unpredictable and always re-evaluating their place in the structure, often feeling as if they don't know where they fit in. One job of a teacher is to let each student know they do belong and helping them find their place in the community while also trying to teach them knowledge at the same time. In this way, Middle School teachers have to maintain a healthy, productive balancing act for their students that meets all the standards while taking the individual student's personality into consideration. In This We Believe, they mention that quality learning comes from authentic assessment and evaluation programs. If teachers are mindful of their students and provide assessment designed to get the students thinking and yearning for more, then school is successful. Otherwise, I believe that students start to lose interest in school and stop listening. Once that happens, the student may never check back in.
There must be a community of support for the students. This We Believe says successful schools are characterized by school-initiated family and community partnerships. I agree that education must be a joint effort between the entire educational community, which means that parents, teachers, the principal, the superintendent, the School Board and even the community at large are responsible for the development of the students. School cannot be separate from the home for we want students to become life-long, consistent
learners. The only students can become consistent learners is to show them that education is not a six hour commitment, but a daily non-stop mindset in thinking and discovering. According to This We Believe, there must be organizational structures that support meaningful relationships and learning. this goes back to teachers and students working together within the classroom and within the bigger context of the community to keep their minds open to each other. Each level is focused on protecting and developing the resources of the level below them: Superintendents advise the Principals who provide support to the teachers and the teachers and parents watch over the students. Every level understands its responsibility and as long as they work together, then the structure is effective for safe and productive learning.
Students need guidance to succeed. First and foremost, This We Believe says there must be guidance and support services available to our students. This comes in two forms: 1) As actual guidance counselors that provide assistance to the students both in personal and educational situations, and 2) teachers and parents, who must serve as advocates to children and guide them through a safe and productive adolescent period. A teacher's main goal must be to instill knowledge and understanding, but our second job is to serve as an advocate for our students even when it seems unnecessary. According to This We Believe, another important aspect of a successful school is school-wide efforts to foster health, wellness and safety. Many of the ideas in This We Believe do seem to repeat themselves, because they are extremely important to forming and maintaining a successful school environment, and safety is one of those elements most harped upon. Students are forced to attend school; they do not have a choice and so it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment, since we are forcing them to be there. That said-students should not be made to feel forced, but rather should feel excited to be in school, which can be accomplished if the school puts policies in action that promote learning rather than take away from it.
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