-
'Advanced cognitions bring changes in academic
abilities. Improved abilities to use speech to
express oneself; greater ability to work;
capacity for abstract thought.’ (Lansdowne and
Walker, 1991)vi The implication here is that
many students in the middle years are seriously
understimulated in today’s average classroom
environment. For this reason, we are examining
ways in which ideas about ‘the thinking
curriculum’ can become an integral part of
classroom procedures.
- 'A
grouping of students in early adolescence will
be more diverse than at any other time before or
after; due to uneven development, a grouping of
students at this level is likely to be more
heterogeneous than early primary or late
secondary students’ (Cappelluti and Stokes,1991;
Eyers, 1993)viii. ‘Some boys have achieved
puberty before some girls have started. And what
one child accomplishes in growth in eighteen
months may take up to three or more years in
another. As a result a seventh grade [USA] class
is likely to include men, women and children.’ (Lounsbury
2000). There is a need for all the teachers who
will come into contact with young adolescents in
the middle years of schooling to be involved
with the children and to get to know them and
share ideas with them. We believe the teacher
and the school must know who these children are.
They need to see them as individuals and not
class loads of children herded from place to
place. We believe that this in turn will create
an environment for engagement and effective
learning.
- Our
Middle School Students all have a room which
they call their own, a Home Room. The Homeroom
teacher works with the students for at least two
of the core learning areas. They also deliver
our Networking Curriculum which has been
especially designed for students in adolescence.
Specialist teacher’s work alongside the Homeroom
teachers to ensure the curriculum is covered in
a rigorous manner.
Bibliography
Cappelluti,
J. and Stokes, D., 1991, Middle Level Education:
Policies, Programs and Practices, National
Association of Secondary School Principals, Reston,
Virginia
Eyers, V.,
Cormack, P., and Barratt, R., 1992, The Education of
Young Adolescents in South
Australian
Government Schools: Report of the Junior Secondary
Review, Education Department of South Australia,
Adelaide
Golding
Jean, 2000, Children of the Nineties, Institute of
Child Health, University of Bristol, UK
Hill,
Peter, March 2000, Leadership: The Critical Element,
Leadership Conference for Principals and Early Years
Coordinators, Melbourne
Useful Websites on Middle
Schooling;
http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/mys/pdf/MYMTransition.pdf
http://www.aeufederal.org.au/Publications/Middleschooling.pdf
http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/facilitiesandservices/laep/biblio.pdf |
