This week I will focus more on the online article. I feel I have more of a connection with
this. I have seen my own middle school
go through the movement. When my parents
went through the Junior High it was 7th-9th grade. By time I was in Junior High it was 7th
and 8th. In the last 15 years
it has changed into a Middle School, but nothing had changed except the
name. Everything was still running like
when it was a Junior High. They then
added 6th and 5th grade out to the Middle School. The Middle School has made improvements curriculum
and professional developments. Some of
the things that I have noticed that they have not changed and is against what
Donald Eichorn proposed was the elimination interscholastic sports. They have recently added a competitive Scholastic
team. And all classes are organized
based on grade including physical education class. I wish my school would have more of an active learning aspect. I have always been a hands on learning. So when there was not much active learning in the Junior years I always felt behind slightly through high school and college.
Hello Corey,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughts and insights.
So, I got the sense from your post that maybe it’s a little artificial as to whether or not we place importance on when whether middle school starts, albeit at 6 to 8th grade, or goes from 5 to 8th grade, or even goes from 7th to 9th. And further, when you were talking about how if you’re not being challenged it’s easy to be bored in school.
So, I think I kind of agree with you on all this if I’m reading you right. To me, it’s about the teacher and the atmosphere that they help to cultivate, much more so than if middle school starts at fifth-grade, or six grade, or seventh grade, etc.
Sure, each age group has different stages of a student’s life that the teacher and the curriculum needs to take into account, but at the end of the day, I think a good teacher, with good training, who keeps teaching and challenging the students, makes a big difference. So that’s kind of my take. I was thinking of this after reading your post. I think I understood your post and I think I am echoing some of what you are saying, and if I am, I am in agreement. And if I got your ideas wrong I apologize, but this is still kind of where I’m at. But I do think I understood what you were saying.And as I was saying, I think it’s much more about the teacher and what he or she brings to the table, and how he or she recognizes his or her student’s needs and challenges them than if we are technically calling middle school starting at fifth or sixth grade…. So long as were challenging them always in appropriate ways…. Which was an excellent point that you brought up.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts Corey… These were my thoughts that your post conjured up… Peace Corey
Peace all