Ryan's This We Believe Blog

"This We Believe" starts out by outlining the challenges facing adolescents today. Developmentally, they are going through a time of change. During this time they are also being bombarded by the media and are facing peer pressure to try new and potentially dangerous things, such as drugs, sex, and alcohol. Today's adolescents also have a much more diverse family life than in even the recent past. All of these things mean that middle-grade students need more than just the standard education that Junior Highs have been providing for the last century. As teachers, we need to be committed to implementing all of the following ideas set forth by the National Middle School Association in order to improve the education and development of our students.

TWB's first section is about the culture of a strong middle school. Teachers are a critical part of that culture. TWB argues that teachers of the middle grades need to be trained specifically in the needs of adolescents, something that is hard in a school like UMF, where our certification runs K-8 and 7-12. Teachers also must be positive role models for their students, because as individuals they are at a very impressionable age. Teachers also need to work together as leaders and follow a common mission statement, that way they can guide all of their actions. I believe this shared vision is a great way to point a large group of teachers, who normally would march to the beat of their own drum, in the same direction. Part of this vision should be that teacher and students have high expectations of each other, because it pushes them to achieve more. This We Believe concludes that schools should have an advocate/advisory program for its students and should involved the community in it's learning, because both of these things provide more attention to the students and push them to achieve more.

TWB then discusses the things that schools need to do for their middle level students in order to be successful. They start with curriculum, because it's the vessel that a school's goals are accomplished. It most be relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory. This curriculum should use diverse instruction methods that appeals and challenges every student. As a teacher, you also have to use authentic assessment in your units. It helps if your students set their own goals, and then are evaluated based on their individual progress. As we've read in our other books, teaming in schools helps to make them smaller and improves teacher/student relationships. Physical and mental health are also very important in today's day and age. TWB states that schools need to encourage exercise through activities like gym, health, and extracurriculars. I think this is incredibly important in today's age of obesity. Mental health is also troubling for our children today, and a strong middle school needs to make sure it's teachers and guidance counselors offer the support that developing adolescents need.

TWB goes on to provide everyone involved in the different aspects of schooling with a way to get involved in the process of implementing their recommendations. One of the overarching goals this section provides is for everyone to read TWB and become familiar with it's recommendations. It makes me feel accomplished to know I've done that. I focused a lot on reading the aspects concerning teachers and parents. I really liked the idea of teachers getting colleagues to come and observe them. I don't think we get enough peer feedback, and if you have someone who shares your educational values, you can really improve your pedagogy. One of the most important things they say for teachers is to always remain an advocate for your students. I think whenever we do something in our classroom, we should be asking ourselves, "How can this help my students?" An important thing that parents can do is to volunteer in the classroom. I think this could allow them to make a difference and implement small pieces of TWB's philosophy without infringing upon the schools and stepping on anyone's toes. Lastly, I was glad to see that UMF is following these recommendations by using TWB in our curriculum.

TWB closes by going over the characteristics of the young adolescents we will be dealing with. While I found this section helpful, I really think it's a discussion for the beginning of the paper, not the end, because it is the reasoning for making change. Physically, our student swill be growing rapidly and may feel awkward in their changing bodies. Additionally, they will need time during the day for physical activity. This means that it is important for us as teachers to incorporate bodily-kinesthetic learning into our lessons. Cognitively, our students are beginning to be able to think abstractly and are curious about the world around them. For this reason, we need to allow our students to uncover the material for themselves, and to challenge them with their work. They also love to work with their peers, so activities like jigsaws and group projects should be used. Adolescents are in a time of transition morally. Stuck between being self-centered and recognizing the feelings of others, they may not always make consistent decisions. They are also capable of recognizing the grey area many issues have, but are very idealistic in their thinking. All of this being said, they still rely on adults and see them as role models. The most important thing to know about them psychologically is that their self-esteem fluctuates and is very impressionable, so the smallest amount of praise can make their day and even a little criticism can bring them right back down. Socially, they are also vulnerable, and will seek out a group to identify with. I think that as teachers we can make our class that group, so that our students don't have to identify with the clicks that seem to ruin school for so many people. Adolescents are at a crossroads developmentally, and it's our job as teachers to help them make a smooth transition.