Teaming Up for Student Success in Today’s Middle Schools Teresa T. Bagwell University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Evolution of Middle School Divide Elementary and Secondary Education: 6-6 vs (historical events and societal implications) Persistent conditions- Inadequately prepared teachers Teaching methodology centered on class lecture Tracking of students Lack of opportunity to explore vocations Schools were incompatible with developmental changes in children, tended to focus on promoting subject matter. (RAND Corporation) Desegregation orders quickly shifted large numbers of students from one building to another.

Middle School Concept Recognized the unique needs of students Merges student focus (elementary) with subject matter (secondary) Represents a pedagogical shift in educating early adolescents

Middle School Research Turning Points-Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1989 & 2000) reported ways to bridge the gap between student needs and practiced curriculum Small learning communities Core academic program for all students Empowerment to make site-based decisions Teacher preparation specifically for early adolescents Connecting schools and communities National Middle Schools Association has conducted extensive research on the implementation and outcomes of the middle school concept. National Assessment of Educational Progress ( ) reported an overall decline in achievement scores among middle school students.

Components of Interdisciplinary Teaming Logistical Elements Size, location, content Collaboration Continuous and structured As teachers work together Shared Decision Making Scheduling of students Input into school-based decisions Common Planning Time Scheduled daily for preparation, examine student-related issues and integrate classroom practices Shown to increase effectiveness (MacIver, 1999) and student achievement (Flowers, 1999).

Documented Outcomes of Teaming Students Self-esteem Student Achievement Mitigating negative effects of economic conditions Developing student-teacher relationships

Documented Outcomes-continued Teachers Decreased isolation Increased parent communication Mitigating certification discrepancies – Schools and Staffing Survey (2000) reported 19% of 7 th and 8 th grade English teacher and 23% of math teachers did NOT hold either a bachelor’s degree with a major OR a teaching certificate in the field in which they teach. – While 46 states offer middle school certification, in 18 states it is an endorsement (NMSA, 2007).

Can interdisciplinary teaming positively impact student achievement? Conflicting results, may be difficult to isolate the impact (Felner & Jackson, 1997) Marzano (2001)-20% of achievement variation results from the school setting, 13% from the teacher Mid-South Start Initiative (2003)-economic conditions were most predictive of student achievement No Child Left Behind (2001)-method of defining and measuring student achievement

A longitudinal study ( ) conducted in Philadelphia middle schools revealed the impact of “predictor variables” on high school dropout rates. 5 Warning Flags that a student in 6th grade may not graduate from high school » Failing math (54% less likely) » Failing English (42% less likely) » Attendance rate below 80% (68% less likely) » Being suspended » An unsatisfactory behavior rating (56% less likely) *Problems experienced in 6th grade do not “self-correct” as students mature and adapt to the middle school setting. Balfanz, Herzog, MacIver, 2007

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