Effective middle level schooling

Childhood Education, 1997 by Bernard Cesarone

Recent ERIC documents and journal articles that discuss aspects of program and school effectiveness in middle level education are summarized in this column. For details about ERIC and ordering ERIC documents, please see the information following these abstracts.

ERIC Documents

ED 401050

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF MIDDLE LEVEL SCHOOLS.

ERIC Digest. John H. Lounsbury. 1996. 2 pp. (Available from ERIC/ EECE, see address below.) This digest provides a brief history of the middle school movement and reviews two documents, Turning Points and This We Believe. (For more detailed information about these documents, see ED 312322 and ED 390546, below.)

ED 396840

MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION IN SMALL RURAL SCHOOLS. Martin Tadlock & Joan Barrett-Roberts. 1995. 57 pp. (Available from EDRS and National Middle School Association, 2600 Corporate Exchange Drive, Columbus, OH 43231.) This guidebook discusses the issues of middle school education in rural settings. The first two chapters discuss the advantages and challenges of small rural middle schools, compared to schools in other settings, and examine their components. Other chapters show how rural schools can implement middle level programs through such strategies as professional development, interdisciplinary teams, common planning time, block schedules and advisory programs; present case studies of small rural schools involved in the middle school movement; and summarize the strengths and weaknesses of small rural schools in meeting adolescent student needs.

ED 396839

NEW EVIDENCE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. Paul S.

George & Kathy Shewey. 1994. 124 pp. (Available from EDRS and National Middle School Association, 2600 Corporate Exchange Drive, Suite 370, Columbus, OH 43231.) This monograph summarizes research on middle schools' effectiveness. Part 1 provides an overview of early research in middle level education. Part 2 describes a 1985 study of 130 middle schools and outlines characteristics of successful middle level schools, including team organization, teacher-based guidance activities, flexible use of time, and faculty participation in decision-making. Part 3 further identifies effective middle school components and describes a 1993 study of 108 schools. Part 4 serves as a summary and conclusion.

ED 390546

THIS WE BELIEVE: Developmentally Responsive Middle Level Schools. A Position Paper. National Middle School Association (NMSA). 1995. 45 pp. (Available from EDRS and NMSA, 2600 Corporate Exchange Drive, Suite 370, Columbus, OH 43231.) This paper is a guide to achieving developmentally responsive educational programs for young adolescents. The paper identifies six characteristics of such programs: 1) educators' commitment to young adolescents, 2) a shared vision of middle level education, 3) high expectations for students, 4) an adult advocate for every student, 5) family and community partnerships and 6) a positive school climate. Six major middle level program components are also defined: 1) challenging and integrative curriculum, 2) varied teaching and learning approaches, 3) assessment and evaluation that promote learning, 4) flexible organizational structures, 5) programs and policies that foster health, wellness and safety and 6) comprehensive guidance and support services. ED 382347

FOCUS ON: SUCCESSFUL CHARACTERISTICS OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL. Nicholas P. Georgiady & Louis G. Romano. 1992. 16 pp. (Available from EDRS and Michigan Association of Middle School Educators, Michigan State University, College of Education, 419 Erickson, East Lansing, MI 48824.) Noting that many middle schools do not pay sufficient attention to their students' emotional, physical and social development, this booklet presents characteristics of successful middle school programs as recognized by the middle school movement. Each characteristic is accompanied by an explanation of the "what and why" and a further elaboration on its use. Seventeen characteristics are listed and explained: 1) teaming, 2) team teaching, 3) block time, 4) self-contained classrooms, 5) guidance services, 6) creative, exploratory and enrichment experiences, 7) personalized student evaluation, 8) independent study, 9) basic skill repair, 10) community relations, 11) student services, 12) auxiliary staffing, 13) social experiences, 14) physical experiences and intramural activities, 15) continuous progress, 16) a multimaterial approach and 17) flexible schedules.

ED 365009

MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE VISIT REPORT: Five Schools in Profile. Mary Ruth Coleman, James J. Gallagher, &Judith Howard. 1993. 74 pp. This study examined five middle schools that successfully assimilated gifted education programs, and sought to determine which factors brought success. The factors that were critical to program effectiveness at all sites included: 1) administrators' commitment to the middle school philosophy and to providing a challenging learning environment, 2) a sense of autonomy for both principals and teachers, 3) the availability of expertise and human resources, 4) students' and teachers' enthusiasm, 5) a sense of trust and commitment to the school and 6) curriculum differentiation that used some form of instructional grouping. In addition, the schools typically grouped students by ability or performance for language arts and mathematics instruction. ED 348738