Key f indings of middle school research

KEY FINDINGS KEY FINDINGS KEY FINDINGS KEY FINDINGS of MIDDLE SCHOOL of MIDDLE SCHOOL of MIDDLE SCHOOL of MIDDLE SCHOOL RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

1. Holistic Approach is required - mainstreaming, across curriculum approaches, need to tie together groupings, settings, teaching teams, separate disciplines, teaching styles - so that the adolescent PERSON is the primary focus. Some of the best is seen in school communities where a shared commitment to young adolescents is quite explicit.

2. Teacher Teaming - is most effective in situations where arrangements had been negotiated carefully in advance and ongoing forms of internal and external means of support were provided.

3. Teacher Research - is an empowering experience for those prepared to look critically at their own practices with disengaged and non-participating students.

Then to trial and evaluate new approaches in their own environments.

4. Genuine Consultation - students tended to react very positively when teachers actively listened to them and took their views seriously.

5. Student Participation - works best when mutual respect and trust between students and teachers is established, and both groups have opportunities to acquire and practise the pre-requisite skills. Skills associated with active citizenship such as substantive conversation, listening, participating, negotiating and reflecting become part of normal learning.

6. Time and Space - more creative and flexible timings, groupings, settings for the learners with less constant movement and some sense of proprietorship about their 'life-space'. Time out for tutoring and reflecting. For teachers planned time together for teaming can be crucial.

7. Practical Activities - more relevant and challenging activity with some sense of being productive and competent can be highly motivating. Best use of active and productive lessons arises when the activity exposes students to significant concepts, principles and theories.

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8. Varied Approaches - providing less routine and a richer mix of independent, collaborative and experiential techniques brings gains to both individual and collective outcomes. A broader repertoire is needed in teaching techniques and in media used in the application of the learning to be done or the tasks to be performed and assessed.

9. Pastoral Care - embedding pastoral care issues within the curriculum helps to ensure that the intellectual and social needs of young adolescents are addressed simultaneously - rather than 'WELFARE' being seen as something separate and different. Closer contact through more stable teacher-student partnerships is a major gain.

10. Parent & Community Participation - adults other than teachers can be brought into new kinds of partnership in the learning process. Committee work and formal linkages are less fruitful than working on something together as the main contact. Bridges are built into their own community, economy, environment, often as serious long-term 'engagements'.

Within your small group, from your general overall knowledge of the classrooms and programs we provide for Years 5 to 8 - what rating would you give to each of the above ten items using

(A) Already coming into common practice? (B) Seen in only a few notable school settings? (C) Little or no real sign of such an approach?

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