Students…did you know when your parents were in 7th and 8th grade, they might have attended one of Anchorage's junior high schools where students often spent each class period with a completely different group of kids? Having to interact with as many as 900 different people throughout each day could be overwhelming. Therefore Anchorage junior high schools changed to middle school about ten years ago and the change has been beneficial to students and teachers.
Middle school philosophy revolves around teacher teaming. In middle school, each student is assigned to a team of core teachers. Teaming allows each student to be a part of a group of up to 130 students, providing a more family-type atmosphere. Teaming also allows teacher to discuss curriculum, student needs, student behavior, and plan activities.
Middle schools are designed specifically to meet the developmental and educational needs of a unique population – students transitioning into adolescents. At this age students require personal attention, finding a place to belong and build connections, student-centered teaching, and a flexible schedule that promotes interaction.
CLARK employs the middle school model by using teaching teams to deliver curriculum. A team is created with a common group of students assigned to a common group of teachers during a block of time designated as their core time. The use of teams is a way of grouping students and teachers together to create small communities of learning within the school.
Small communities within a school create success in a number of ways:
- Small groups generate in students a sense of belonging and can foster relationship building, both of which have proven to increase student motivation.
- Teaming allows for teachers to work together to assess individual learning styles and work together on instructional strategies to address individual needs.
- Teachers in teams work collaboratively and offer cross-curriculum activities.
|
