CHRIS
TOY
Diary #16
Why
Does Middle School Seem
To Be Under a Dark Cloud?
One of the backdrops for many of my activities this past week has been some ongoing discussions about middle school reform. Maine's Middle Level Commission and MiddleWeb's online discussion on reinventing the middle school are great opportunities to reflect on the future of middle level education.
I continue to be somewhat mystified by the "dark cloud" hovering over middle level education, especially in Maine. Maine is considered by many to have one of the best public education systems in the country. It seems that middle schools in Maine contribute significantly to our state's standing nationally. A visit to the state's education website tells us that-- Maine eighth graders placed sixth in the nation in Science on the 2000 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). -- Maine eighth graders placed third in the nation in Mathematics on the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). -- Maine eighth graders placed first in the nation in Reading on the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test results. -- Maine eighth graders placed second, along with Massachusetts, in Writing on the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). -- Maine eighth graders placed first in the nation in Science on the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only students in Singapore outperformed Maine eighth graders in Science in comparisons with the 41 countries participating in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS - 1998). -- Eighth graders also tied for first place in the nation in Mathematics on the 1996 test. Only seven countries outperformed Maine eighth graders in Mathematics in comparisons with the 41 countries participating in the TIMMS - 1998.
I agree that there are many things that need to be improved for our students. Teachers need to make sure their classrooms reflect effective practices. We need to make sure there is equity of opportunity for all students, and that they are held to high standards based on what current research tells us is defensible. But, I still struggle with the perception that middle level education isn't working for kids.
Middle school is an unsettling time for families
I think I got a clue when I asked a parent who had a couple children go through our school and are now at the high school. She said that the middle school feels unsettled and uncomfortable because, as a group, the children in the middle years are in a state of transition and change, which is unsettling to them and to their families.
This made sense to me. After all, how many of us would voluntarily return to being 12 or 13 years old? I actually asked a number of adults this question, and all 20 of them laughed, then replied along the lines of, "no way! Why would anyone what to relive that time of life?"
I then asked some parents of older children whether they would want to return to being parents of children who were 12 or 13 years old. Again, without exception, experienced parents replied that those were the most difficult times for them, their spouses and their children.
It makes some sense then, that the middle years in schools would be challenging years. I guess my concern is for the teachers and other folks who work with these students and their families. Many of them work very hard to help these students through what may be the most confusing and difficult times. They balance academic, social, physical, and emotional changes while trying to help all student realize their potential in each of these areas. The message that middle schools are not working for its students needs to be tempered with the recognition that many students are achieving and growing under the care and guidance of hardworking, skilled teachers running child centered programs.
