developmentally appropriate practices to support the young adolescent
DESCRIPTION
Developmentally Appropriate Practices to Support the Young Adolescent How do you foster academic growth for students in the middle? Developmentally appropriate practices are critical at all levels for student learning and engagement. Refocusing on the middle school model aligns instructional practices with the unique developmental needs of students ages 11 through 15. Teaming, Advisory, and Content Integration enable teachers to leverage the talents of adolescents. This collaboration strengthens teacher leadership, builds student-teacher relationships, and fosters critical conversations around teaching and learning. Presenters: Patterson Denise & Stephanie Dischiavi - Northview Middle School - Hickory, NCTRANSCRIPT
Refocusing on the Middle School Model
Developmentally Appropriate Practices to Support the
Young Adolescent
What do people say when they find out you work “in the middle?”
“Thank you for this! When I tell people I teach middle school, I often get the response, "Oh, I'm sorry," as if I was forced to be where I am. A note on the goals of teachers; many teacher-training programs in colleges don't even have a middle school major. Pretty much all middle school teachers came from elementary or secondary backgrounds, which creates a very interesting group of teachers with all sorts of different philosophies.” -Comment post from the article.
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Adolescent Development
Goal of this project was to ensure alignment of our structures and practices with the
developmental needs of young adolescents.
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Our Need and Rationale for Refocusing on the Middle
Staff and Administrative
Changes
New Standards and Assessments
Focus School/Title I Middle School
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
We recognized that it was time to revisit the middle school model.
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
District Action Steps 1. Analyze student data to present need for additional
support for adolescents 2. Investigate middle school model elements 3. Visit a middle school in another district 4. Attend Middle School Conference 5. Define Middle School Concept 6. Plan the Transition 7. Provide Professional Development Middle School Week 8. Include elements in New Teacher Orientation 9. Continue throughout school year
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
What the Data Showed Significant
Achievement Gaps
Drop in Proficiency from 5th grade to 8th
grade
Inconsistencies in Programming
Fragmented Collaboration
Lack of Vision
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
What Makes a Middle School?
Distinguishing Characteristics
of Effective Middle Schools
Finding our Focus for
Middle Level Education
Research and Trends
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Professional Development
Middle School
Conference
Middle School 101
Processing the Session
Middle School Week
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Middle School Week
• Three Days in the Summer
• Voluntary Attendance
• Continuing Education Units
• Interactive Wiki
• Advisory Planning Time
• Part of New Teacher Orientation
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Define Middle School
• Created HPS Definition of Middle School
• Leveraged Rich Sources of Information
• Articulated Vision in Writing and Shared
Based on Investigation
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Highlights of the Middle School Model
• Focus on Adolescent
• Teaming
• Advisory
• Content Integration
• Relationships
• Dually Certified Teachers
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Plan for the Transition
• Present Middle School Document to School Improvement Team
• Provide Information at Staff Meetings
• Collaborate with Human Resources on Teacher Licensure
• Request Teacher Input for Teams
• Hire Middle School Teachers
• Revise Master Schedule
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Challenges Along the Way
• Finding Middle School Certified Teachers with dual licensure
• Planning ‘balanced’ teams
• Making meetings meaningful
• Fostering teaming
• Creating one voice in a team
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Teaming
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
School Level Administrative Actions
Required to…
• Meet a minimum number of times each week
• Share minutes
• Create weekly or monthly parent newsletters
Encouraged to…
• Utilize flexible schedule
• Support cross-curricular planning
• Consider Schools To Watch criteria
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Northview Middle School
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Individual Planning
Individual Planning
Individual Planning
Individual Planning
Individual Planning
Team Meeting Content Meeting
Team Meeting Team Meeting Content Meeting
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Team Meeting vs. Content Meeting
Student Focus
Performance Data
Interventions
Conferencing
Curriculum & Alignment
Instructional Strategies
Common Assessments
Differentiation
Enhance Teacher Leadership
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Teacher Perspectives
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Team Must Haves
Organization
Cooperation and Fairness
Buy In and Commitment
Buy In and Commitment
• Are we all on board?
– Looking at the whole child
– Many hands make light work
• Setting team standards
– Sharing Perspectives
– Rules and Roles
– Shared Understanding
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Organization • Start with a plan
– When , where, and how often do we meet?
– Who does what? Who is there?
• Aligning decisions
– HPS Pacing Guide
– Principal follow-up
– Department level standards
– Student centered
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Organization
Student
Team
Principal
District
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Cooperation and Fairness
• Division of Tasks – Develops synergy
– Builds team morale
– Reduces stress level
– Establishes shared understanding
• Collaboration – Support staff
– PEPs
– Teacher Conferences
– Discipline
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Tools and Resources
Seamless Communication for all stakeholders
– Google Drive
– Outlook Calendar
– Remind101.com
– Website
– Team Newsletter
– Shared drive
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Outcomes
• Established a Vision
• Built community for students
• Engaged with student-driven conversations
• Restructured schedule
• Decreased number of discipline referrals
• Increased teacher accountability
• Fostered a unified staff
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
District Perspective
• Collaborative vision for middle schools
• Structure builds in time to discuss new standards and instructional practices
• Consideration of data and the developmental needs of students
• Continued Focus
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Next Steps
• Next level teaming
• Integration of non-core staff
• Middle Week to focus on content integration and vertical alignment of writing
• Cross-school visits
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
Questions or Feedback?
• Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Patterson
• Principal, Northview Middle School
Stephanie Dischiavi
• Curriculum Specialist
Jennifer Griffin
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014
References
Caskey, M. M., & Anfara, V. A., Jr. (2007). Research summary: Young adolescents' developmental characteristics. Retrieved [13 March 2014], from http://www.amle.org/TabId/207/ArtMID/8 41/ArticleID/300/Research-Summary- Developmental-Characteristics.aspx
NCMLE Annual Conference -- March 2014