Middle School Curriculum(Lower Secondary School)

Middle school Age level: 12 -to - 15 years Grade level: 9 - to- 10 Duration: 2 years

Major Goals of the Middle School Provide the students with skills for coping with everyday pressure. Encourage students to respect differences among their peers. Encourage open communication between the school and the home. Stimulate career awareness in students. Develop decision-making skills of students(INDEPENDENT) Assist the development of academic, social, aesthetic, emotional, and physical skills.

Group Activity Instruction: Discuss in your respective group and come up with at least two reasons for having middle secondary school curriculum. (in Bhutanese context).

Reasons to have Middle Secondary School Curriculum. Aware about youth related issues and life stresses. Shape a sense of personal identity. Understand and explain basic principles of the government. Understand the development of economic systems. Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the Earth. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society.

Development of the middle school There is major issue about whether their education is best provided in a junior school, a middle school, or some other form of school organization. During 1950s and 1960s, dissatisfaction with junior high school.(age-inappropriate social activities, extensive athletic programs) During the early 1960s “school in the middle” was introduced. (i.e, 5-8 grade) Developed the curricula to meet the needs of ten- fourteen year old.

Different from junior high school as it incorporates more interdisciplinary, exploratory curricula; team teaching, less ability grouping etc. Donald E. Larsen and Tariq T. Akmal identified three critical elements of school effectiveness at all grade levels. 1. school-wide leadership 2. a web caring and personal relationship 3. ongoing planning guided by relevant data.

Explorer have adopted a purposeful plan The state’s expectations that pedagogy and curriculum materials will align with what will be assessed in the spring. The need to do much more with their population than raise test scores. Cultivated relationships and data- guided decision making.

Why? Manifested in strategies aimed at improving the achievement and the lives of their students.

Bhutanese Context Teaching learning materials are provided by the MOE for different level of students. Teachers are trained using contemporary approaches like discovery, guided discovery, activity based learning, problem solving skills, and many more.

Three components of Explorer Middle School Staff development targeted student learning needs. A curriculum that aligns with assessments, and The universal believe that “all kids can learn”.

Bhutanese context Teachers coming together and discussing strategies/methods before being implemented DCRD conducting research and reviewing curriculum with proper assessment tools(yearly) Every year the enrollment of children are increasing shows that government is fulfilling the theme “ Education for all”.

Interpreting and using data to guide planning How? Positive and negative trends Examine the data for evidence of high achievement. Improvement process 90 minutes daily for reading Classes delayed by 90 minutes once a week so teacher can collaborate and plan together.

Every member of the staff has a staff development calendar for the entire school year. Relationships as keys to effective planning. Beginning with the unified efforts of the staff, faculty and administration of the school and concluding with the inclusion of students and parents in the improvement. The strong friendships and high levels of respect among teachers and administrators foster deeper conservations that are more grounded in student assessment data.

At an informal level, all staff birthdays, individual and team achievements, and familial occurrences are celebrated or in time of crisis, supported. During the summer vacation meets- voluntarily-simply to gather and enjoy one another's company

Leadership by design Characteristics of leader.  They are always hopeful conveying sense of optimism and attitude of never giving up in the pursuit of highly valued goal (Fullan,2001,p.7). At Explorer Middle School  leaders means whose energy, optimism and vision set for an entire learning community.  They invite and accept input from staff, students, and parents promised to align mission with practice.  Cultivate an open communication style.

Benchmarks of Student-Friendly Middle Schools  It indicates the extent to which middle schools implement student friendly perspectives.  There are seven benchmarks that clearly differentiates student friendly environments.

1. Educational experiences that address young adolescents tremendous diversity. Provides responsive experiences based upon individual’s social, gender, and learning styles. Experiences that meet individuals needs (example: all young adolescents’ cognitive development has not reached Piaget’s formal operations stage. Individualization, co-operative learning, small group instruction and peer tutoring can achieve student friendly instruction.

In relation to Bhutanese context Heterogeneous group. Questions that evaluates both low and high achievers..

2. Provide teachers who are trained in middle school concepts and Early adolescence Development. Teachers’ interest plays a very important role in the early adolescence development. Learners benefit when educators are professionally trained, and suffer if they are specialized or interested in elementary classes. It is important to have teachers who are genuinely interested to teach young adolescents and provide educational experiences.

In relation to Bhutanese context. Two colleges in Bhutan have trainees trained in primary and secondary courses. Teachers take classes in which they are specialized. In their classes, they use the respective skills and strategies learned in the college.

3. Provide exploratory programs. Both curriculum and special interest are emphasized. It makes the child discover their talents, unique abilities, and values. It provides career opportunities. For this program to be successful, students should be provided wide choice of topics. The teacher should be an expertise.

In relation to Bhutanese context. Practical classes. Guided discovery learning. Career education classes Career orientation.

4. Provide developmentally Responsive, Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling programs. Problems faced are usually home situations, peer pressure, and behavioural problems. Teachers and counselors have to comprehend the problem and provide necessary problems and counseling services. Different types of counseling.

In relation to Bhutanese context. In schools, the counseling program have been started and we can see improvement in the students due to this program. Teachers discusses the issue with the counselors and then the latter find a way for an improvement in the child.

5. Ensure equal access to all educational experience. It is considered as a worthwhile goal. Equal access is provided to all the individuals. Some middle schools actively develop inclusive activities. In one middle school, all the students took part in a play. Some had speaking role, some sang as a group ( all had respectable opportunity). No one was cut and encouraged to quit and try again next time.

In relation to Bhutanese context. Group discussion. Cooperative learning. Problem solving.

6. Ensure a safe and positive learning environment. Provide opportunities to learn and interact in a humane way. Students and teachers listen to each other. Promotes nurturing school environment where all the individuals are valued. Environment is created that lessens conflicts between educators and students, reducing discipline referrals, confrontations, bullying, harassment among students. Eliminating “student versus educators” mentality. Teacher implement schedules, teaching methods, guidance programs that place priority on the learner.

In relation to Bhutanese context. In the classroom, teachers guide the students in any of the activity they carry out. Conducive learning environment.

7. Involve parents, families and community members. Parents involvement in child education reduces to 50% when they reach middle school. Challenge- recapture parents interest in Childs' educational development. Parents are involved through conferences. Students of interested and involved parents show higher levels of motivation and commitment to education. Parents involved in school activities and parents learn various purposes of middle school.

In relation to Bhutanese context. Parents teacher meeting. Cultural shows.

Great Transition: Preparing adolescents for a changing world Stresses the importance of education for early adolescents in a complex, changing world Methods(8 principles) for developing new middle-level education programs Means to improve curricula, instruction and assessment

8 principles for transforming the education of young adolescents 1.Create communities for learning  Relationships between teachers and students and among the students can be cultivated  Smaller class sizes can ensure that each student is well known and respected

2. Teach a core of common knowledge  Curriculum is so fragmented by subject matter that students have few opportunities to make connections among ideas in the different academic disciplines  Important principles and concepts within each discipline and concentrate their efforts on integrating the main ideas to create a meaningful interdisciplinary curriculum

3. Provide an opportunity for all students to succeed  Students of varying ability learn together through cooperative learning  Cooperative learning helps high achievers to deeper their understanding of the matches by explaining it to lower achievers, in turn benefits by receiving extra help as needed from their peers

4. Prepare teachers for the middle grades  In cooperate courses in adolescents development, team teaching, and the design and assessment of demanding interdisciplinary curricula

5. Improve academic performances through better health and fitness  Education programs and science curriculum that helps students understand the biological changes they are experiencing  Impact of various health damaging as well as health promoting practices

6. Reengage families in education of adolescents  Solving parents in all aspects of their education  As an educational resources

7. Strengthen teachers and principles  Creation of governance committees composed of teachers, administration, health professionals, support staff, parents and representatives from community organization for effective school  Teachers control over the way they meet curricula goals

8. Connect schools with communities  Offer a variety of social and health services to young people

In relation to Bhutanese context.  Our system/curriculum encourages/demands more of cooperative learning from students through group discussions thereby promoting social and interpersonal relationships. Eg. new curriculum mathematics  Ministries and schools conducting SBPI and various seminars for educationalist to update and upgrade their knowledge for their students  Schools having free access to health and social services such as social and health personals visiting schools and discussing issues, promoting awareness and so on to educate the students

 Similarly, integrating issues and the important topics in the curriculum so that students are aware of the things and issues. Eg. Integrated science  Schools conducting PT meetings, mainly with the focus to involve parents in various school activities, get suggestions and feedbacks and also make them realize what is happening to their children