MIDDLE SCHOOL DIARY INDEX
1999-2000
During the 1999-2000 school year, MiddleWeb published four middle grades
diaries. Below you'll find descriptions of the diaries and indexes to the
weekly (or bi-weekly) musings of these thoughtful teachers and principals.
MiddleWeb's 99-00 diary offerings included a pair of principals at high-performing
middle schools who brought a fresh "front office" point of view.
Carol Stack and Michelle Pedigo led middle schools in wildly diverse settings
-- Carol in urban Champaign, Illinois; Michelle Pedigo in rural Glasgow,
KY. But Carol and Michelle had several things in common. Both their schools
served many disadvantaged kids, and both were committed to each student's
academic success. After an exhaustive search, the
National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform selected both Jefferson
Middle School and Barren County Middle School as "Schools
to Watch" and continue to document their practices and progress.
Carol and Michelle wrote their entries in alternating weeks throughout the
year. We think you'll enjoy looking over the shoulders of these two excellent
principals (both of whom were chosen their state's "Middle School Principal
of the Year" in early 2000!)
Our 1998-99 diarist Deborah Bambino returned for the 99-00 year, continuing
a first-year diary that was published by the National Middle School Association
in the fall of 1999 -- Teaching Out Loud: A Middle
Grades Diary. An accomplished science teacher, Deb found herself facing
a new challenge in the fall of 1999: developing and teaching a technology
integration curriculum. We found Deb's weekly reflections during this often-trying
school year even more powerful and important than her excellent first-year
diary. Read them -- we promise you will be investing your time well.
(Deb Bambino continues her diary into a third year in the fall of 2000,
as she assumes a role outside the classroom as a professional development
leader. Follow her further adventures here.)
"The Lees Take a Road Trip" might have been a suitable title for
our third 1999-00 diary cycle. Darrell and Corrine Lee, their kids and their
dog Cody took a drive across America to -- as Darrell eloquently put it
-- "explore the mysterious world of teens and their communities."
The Lees began their sabbatical trip on August 8, 1999 when they set out
from Bothell, Washington, where Darrell is a counselor and teacher at Canyon
Park Junior High. After a remarkable journey that included "van-"
and "guest-" schooling their two adolescent sons, they filed their
last diary entry in late July. You might begin
with Darrell's final reflections on his search for community-based schools,
and then browse through his visits to more
than a dozen cities and towns.
The Weekly Principal Diary
MICHELLE PEDIGO
Background - Michelle
Pedigo - Barren County Middle School, Glasgow, KY
#1 -- Michelle Pedigo -- "Summer
is the time of year when I most feel like I am in a business."
#2 -- Michelle Pedigo -- If you
live in Glasgow, Kentucky & you've got a bad case of pinkeye...
#3 -- Michelle Pedigo -- Barren
County MS upbeat after a strong showing on state tests.
#4 -- Michelle Pedigo -- 'Sharpening
the saw' at Destin beach has its price.
#5 -- Michelle Pedigo -- "LJ"
finds his way, thanks to a support system that works
#6 -- Michelle Pedigo -- The realities
of Ramsey's life
#7 -- Michelle Pedigo -- "Situations
demanded I be the manager, not the leader. I don't like that."
#8 -- Michelle Pedigo -- "We
are knee-deep in all this assessment."
#9 -- Michelle Pedigo -- Proactive
and visionary supt. made principal's risk-taking possible.
#10 - Michelle Pedigo -- Nothing
is more rewarding than seeing teachers expand their horizons.
#11 - Michelle Pedigo -- Teachers
are like students. They all learn in different ways.
#12 - Michelle Pedigo -- "I
watch you as you work, Innocence gone . . .You made wrong choices."
#13 - Michelle Pedigo -- A consideration
of 'looping' temporarily divides the BCMS faculty.
#14 - Michelle Pedigo -- "We
are really talking about changing the culture of rural Kentucky."
#15 - Michelle Pedigo -- Proposed
budget cuts reflect educators' low status & shaky credibility.
#16 - Michelle Pedigo -- A little
girl's life and death puts everything into perspective.
#17 - Michelle Pedigo -- The
"keeper of dreams" must also be the "keeper of morale."
#18 - Michelle Pedigo -- Youth
Service Center "breaks down barriers to learning."
#19 - Michelle Pedigo -- The
merry-go-round goes faster and faster as school ends.
#20 - Michelle Pedigo -- FINAL:
"The principal is the most instrumental person in education."
CAROL STACK
Background - Carol Stack - Jefferson
Middle School, Champaign, IL
#1 -- Carol Stack -- No matter
how prepared a principal may be, there's always the unexpected.
#2 -- Carol Stack -- Tyriece's
leap to eighth grade keeps the week's "downside" in perspective.
#3 -- Carol Stack -- It's not
always rosy in 'Oz': "We have our challenges like any school."
#4 -- Carol Stack -- It's easy
for the "woodwork children" to get lost in the shuffle.
#5 -- Carol Stack -- "Just
when you think you see the light at the end of the tunnel..."
#6 -- Carol Stack -- Find staff
development time by rethinking meeting and planning schedules.
#7 -- Carol Stack -- Student projects
that build confidence and bring the curriculum to life!
#8 -- Carol Stack -- December
is a good time to "get a grip" on how things are going.
#9 -- Carol Stack -- "There's
no such thing for a principal as 'easing back into a routine.'"
#10 - Carol Stack -- "Right
off the bat, I scratched our monthly, after-school faculty meetings."
#11 - Carol Stack -- Resilient,
committed urban schools offer a 21st century education.
#12 - Carol Stack -- It's always
painful when good teachers decide to leave. . .
#13 - Carol Stack -- It was one
of those weeks when being a good listener comes first.
#14 - Carol Stack -- Exactly
which part of "what's good for kids" do I want to compromise?
#15 - Carol Stack -- A "roll
up your sleeves, take a deep breath, regroup, and 'go for it' feeling."
#16 - Carol Stack -- Retain or
promote? One of a principal's most difficult tasks.
#17 - Carol Stack -- Professional
development -- when is it too much of a good thing?
#18 - Carol Stack -- No "winding
down" as the end of the school year approaches!
#19 - Carol Stack -- As year
comes to a close, it's a mixed bag of highs and disappointments.
#20 - Carol Stack -- FINAL: "Oh,
how sweet it is to rise above it all!"
Deb Bambino's Teacher Diary (1999-00)
Background - Deborah
Bambino - Central East Middle School, Philadelphia, PA
#1 -- Deb Bambino -- Learning
names and faces, and something about hearts and minds.
#2 -- Deb Bambino -- "It's
the system that sets us up to fly by the seat of our pants."
#3 -- Deb Bambino -- Can teachers
collaborate by memo and e-mail? Deb doesn't think so.
#4 -- Deb Bambino -- Old issues
of motivation and discipline rear up anew. Yuck.
#5 -- Deb Bambino -- Our task
is to help kids rekindle the natural curiosity that still lurks in them.
#6 -- Deb Bambino -- "I've
never had kids so determined to rebel . . . ."
#7 -- Deb Bambino -- "The
support of other teachers was just what I needed."
#8 -- Deb Bambino -- "I
had left out the most important people, my kids."
#9 -- Deb Bambino -- "I'm
not sure we have a clear idea of just what we expect from parents."
#10 - Deb Bambino -- "Service
learning" begins to pay off.
#11 - Deb Bambino -- Peer and
self-assessment is a real stretch for kids used to "getting" a
grade.
#12 - Deb Bambino -- Teachers
can be merchants of hope -- or destroyers of dignity.
#13 - Deb Bambino -- Can pre-teens
use scientific research methods successfully?
#14 - Deb Bambino -- "...The
tide of public opinion is pushing for standardization...."
#15 - Deb Bambino -- Teacher-parent
conferences: meaningful discussions or time for revenge?
#16 - Deb Bambino -- Staff discussions
ease concerns about 8th graders' exit projects.
#17 - Deb Bambino -- Helping
kids search for heroes in a cynical world.
#18 - Deb Bambino -- "These
small victories mean the world to me...and give me hope."
#19 - Deb Bambino -- Reflecting
on the future of teacher development and collaboration.
#20 - Deb Bambino -- "We
need to open our practice...to each other and to the outside world"
#21 - Deb Bambino -- "If
the work's worth doing, it's worth sharing" with colleagues.
#22 - Deb Bambino -- "It's
always nice to rediscover that this reflection business really works!"
#23 - Deb Bambino -- A fun week
filled with collaboration and Cinderella tales.
#24 - Deb Bambino -- We need
to recruit teachers from inside our own school communities.
#25 - Deb Bambino -- Tired of
a system that quits on kids in a million small ways every day.
#26 - Deb Bambino -- Grappling
with inclusion and the urge to stay safe "in the box."
#27 - Deb Bambino -- Searching
for a successful special education inclusion plan.
#28 - Deb Bambino -- A rich
conference about teaching, learning and leading.
#29 - Deb Bambino -- Our most
important task is helping kids understand their worth.
#30 - Deb Bambino -- New position
will require more listening, more reflection, more trust.
#31 - Deb Bambino -- How do
we become passive victims in the educational process?
#32 - Deb Bambino -- Why aren't
more teachers eager to improve practice through networking?
#33 - Deb Bambino -- It's time
for science fair and some reflections on science teaching.
#34 - Deb Bambino -- "I
have been told point blank that my class doesn't count."
#35 - Deb Bambino -- What is
it that distinguishes teacher voice from teacher talk?
#36 - Deb Bambino -- Factories
don't produce masterpieces -- craftspeople and artisans do.
#37 - Deb Bambino -- Teachers
must address their own diversity before they can collaborate.
#38 - Deb Bambino -- A new job,
a new office, and a new definition of "public"!
#39 - Deb Bambino -- FINAL:
"The bitter outweighed the sweet this term."
Deb's Summer Diaries
#40 - Deb Bambino --
How do we build a community of learners?
#41 - Deb Bambino -- Infusing
summer's spirit throughout the school year
#42 - Deb Bambino -- Is real
teacher collaboration just a "luxury item"?
#43 - Deb Bambino -- In praise
of project-based learning.
#44 - Deb Bambino -- A New Position:
A New Chance to Stir the Pot.
#45 - Deb Bambino -- A quick
lesson in building a learning community.
#46 - Deb Bambino -- The Zen
of facilitation -- and beyond.
[You can read Deb's 1998-99 diary entries here.]
The Traveling Counselor's Diary
Background - Darrell Lee
& Family - Canyon Park Junior High, Bothell, WA
#1 -- Madison, WI -- First stop
in the search for positive middle-school communities.
#2 -- Madison, WI -- Turning
obstacles into advantages for a city's young people.
#3 -- Okabena, MN -- Small town
finds its own way to meet the needs of kids.
#4 -- Okabena, MN -- Blurring
the line dividing school and community.
#5 -- Okabena, MN -- A need to
expand Southwest Star's experiential curriculum.
#6 -- Taunton, MA -- Greyhound
Shift: "The public can no longer just leave the driving to us."
#7 -- Taunton, MA -- Even in
achieving middle schools, parent involvement can be frustrating.
#8 -- Taunton, MA -- In building
business partnerships, the personal touch makes all the difference.
#9 -- Louisville, KY -- "Welcome
to Kentucky, where education pays!"
#10 - Glasgow, KY -- Successful
middle schools only come with community support.
#11 - Louisville, KY -- Middle
school has 90% participation in student-led parent conferences.
#12 - Glasgow, KY -- More to
a successful journey to adulthood than passing state standards.
#13 - Columbus, GA -- "Children
grow best in a matrix of connected relationships."
#14 - Columbus, GA -- Schools
that lack adult resources have to begin thinking "outside the box."
#15 - Columbus, GA -- Community
support is easy to talk about, and tough to do.
#16 - Orlando, FL -- How can
individual students feel valued in Orlando's immense sprawl?
#17 - Orlando, FL -- Darrell
finds some good ideas in Orlando's overcrowded schools.
#18 - Orlando, FL -- Even at
Disney's model school, middle school involvement is lacking.
#19 - St. Bernard Parish, LA
-- Politics & tradition create obstacles to involvement in the bayou.
#20 - St. Bernard Parish, LA
-- Schools mustn't let security needs discourage partnerships.
#21 - St. Bernard Parish, LA
-- "Will parents always rank sports & music (first)?"
#22 - St. Bernard Parish, LA
-- The headline read: "Volunteers flock to schools to tutor students."
#23 - Corpus Christi, TX --
Driscoll Middle School: Trying to provide a better way.
#24 - Corpus Christi, TX --
Can there be too many programs for available resources to support?
#25 - Corpus Christi, TX --
Driscoll Middle creates a safe, supportive environment for all its kids.
#26 - Corpus Christi, TX --
Community service program links academics, career counseling.
#27 - Baltimore, MD -- Johns
Hopkins' national network helps schools solve partnership puzzle.
#28 - Pine Bluff, AR -- Promising
community practices in "a railroad town."
#29 - Pine Bluff, AR -- I hope
we can get enough workers before all the 'harvest' spoils."
#30 - New Mexico-- On New Mexico's
high plateau, Navajo people are creating exemplary schools.
#31 - New Mexico -- Middle school
parent involvement really begins in the early years.
#32 - New Mexico -- Food &
prizes draw parents, but involvement needs to be its own reward.
#33 - San Diego, CA -- Addressing
parent language barriers with creative use of technology.
#34 - San Diego, CA -- Getting
to kids in middle school, before it's too late to turn them around.
#35 - San Diego, CA -- San Diego
groups are pooling their strengths and capabilities.
#36 - Colorado Springs, CO --
Bringing together the old and the young.
#37 - Colorado Springs, CO --
Schools can help families find worthwhile summer activities.
#38 - On the Way Back Home--
"The greatest obstacle to seeing our kids succeed is isolation."
A 2000-2001 Update!
#39 - "Talk about Two Different
Worlds!" -- Darrell brings us up to date
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