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When I think back to my "junior high" years, images of rebellion and insubordination come to mind. Yeah, I was a "bad boy." But at the time, I felt incredible "boxed in" during junior high. My school was concerned about discipline and uniformity. There was little room for intellectual and social disagreement. And it was this conformity that I rejected as I attempted to discover my uniqueness. And of course I expressed this anti-authoritarianism by reacting against what I perceived to be a hostile system, dedicated to separate "the sheep from the goats." While my school did have some characteristics of the middle school, it was in reality, a junior high. And the more I think about, I would have faired better in a environment based on the middle school concept.
When I think about what a middle school is, I think about an academic and social environment that revolves around the concept of transescence and developmental appropriate practices. Instead of being organized by grades, the middle school is organized around age, which reflects a specific period of human development. With this central organizing theme, the middle school addresses the developmental characteristics of the student. This allows educators to focus not only on intellectual development, but physical, moral and ethical, social and psychological development as well. This is a holistic approach to education and enables the educator to acknowledge and deal with the issues that face the student as he or she begins the journey into adulthood. By guiding students through this transition, the educator can help elevate the tension and stress associated with this period of human development, which in turn, increases the student's likelihood of academic and social success.
The exemplary middle school is designed to around the needs of the student. The middle school is an environment for early adolescent that provides them with the opportunity to explore themselves and the world around them. Without question, the middle school encourages self exploration and definition. It is at this age the student will begin to construct their identity and self-concept. The middle school student is very perceptive, and views the social world as model for appropriate behavior. Often times, the adolescent's peer serve as a mirror in terms of correct behavior and identity development. The middle school acknowledges the role peers play in the lives of the adolescent and emphasizes social interaction with peers and adults. The middle school also encourages participation in the school and the community. The middle school focuses on intramural and community programs which allow the student to feel connected to social world they live in. This enhances the students sense of value, increasing their self-esteem and the probability that they will be successful both inside and outside of school. This allows students to mimic adult behavior and recognize social limits and boundaries.
In order to do accomplish the objectives stated above, the middle school must flexible. The middle school curriculum centers on academic achievement and student development. The use of interdisciplinary teaching is a vital characteristic of the successful middle school. This type of teaching allows the student to make connections between the subject areas during a period of time when the adolescent is attempting to discover the relationship between themselves and their surrounding environment. Not only does this further academic achievement but it fosters self-development. A home-base advisor program also allows the student with the chance to talk about problems or goals, and identify the appropriate actions to resolve a conflict or achieve a self-imposed objective. In order to do this, the middle school must be flexible enough to place the needs of the student over the demands of the content.
I wish that I had gone to a school which embodied the principles of the middle school concept. My own experiences reflect the inadequacies of the traditional junior high model. At a time when I was struggling with who I was and what role I would play in the world, my junior high forced me to conform to a socially acceptable standard which inhabited my freedom to explore and define myself in my own unique way. This is something that I will keep in mind when I teach at middle school and I will make it a goal of my mine to aid in, and not hinder, the identity development of all of my students. In my classroom, the rebel is welcome.
Michael Fantauzzo/mikef@frontiernet.net
