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National
Study Sheds Light
on Middle Schools
By Jeffrey Neu
In 1999, the National
Association of Secondary School Principals contracted with
the University of Missouri-Columbia's Middle
Level Leadership Center to conduct a multi-year National Study
of Leadership in Middle Level Schools, typically grades six through
eight. The study involved 1,423 principals across the country
who answered a 170-question survey about such areas as school
improvement initiatives and professional development. The research
team, led by MU College
of Education Professor Jerry
Valentine, recently released the results of the study.
“For three decades, middle level education
has been at the center of more change than any other education
level,” Valentine said. “They have, by the very nature
of the evolution of this unique level of schooling, led the way
in the application of numerous contemporary educational practices
such as flexible scheduling, interdisciplinary team teaching,
integrated curriculum, integrated instruction and student advisement.”
Several of Valentine's findings are noteworthy:
Number of Middle Level Schools
The number of middle level schools across the country continued
to increase, underscoring the importance of educators providing
a form of schooling organized specifically for the young adolescent.
The 7-8-9 grade pattern had disappeared almost completely, while
the 6-7-8 grade pattern has emerged as the predominant pattern.
School Size
While more 6-7-8 grade schools were being established, the average
student population was declining. This transition to smaller enrollments
moved the middle level closer to matching the actual recommended
school size. A decreased number of students in classrooms, which
increases each student's potential for success.
School Violence
Most of the middle level schools were staffed by teachers who
did not have middle level certification, although that number
was starting to increase. In addition, the amount of violence
in middle level schools was about the same or slightly less in
2000 than it had been over the past 10 years. Only 16 percent
of the principals described violence increasing against adults
and 17 percent reported violence increasing against students.
Women and Minorities
Women had made significant gains into middle level leadership;
however, principals of ethnic minority origin were underrepresented
in the middle level and the study provided no evidence to conclude
that this would change noticeably in the near future. Overall,
the principals in 2000 were older and less experienced as principals
than at any other time in the history of middle level education.
Curriculum
The curricula of middle level schools appeared to be more appropriate
in 2000 than previously reported. Almost all middle level schools
provided a comprehensive set of required learning experiences
in math, science, social science, language arts, reading and physical
education. Most, he said, provided a variety of exploratory and
elective opportunities in the fine and performing arts and in
industrial, technical and consumer sciences.
School Reform
School reform efforts, though, lacked focus. Though principals
seemed satisfied with their reform efforts, most were described
as "general" and too few were designed to make a real
difference in classroom instructional practices.
Part Two of the Study
The research team also recently released the second volume
of the study, which involved data from 98 "highly successful"
middle schools and an in-depth study of six of those schools.
A rigorous examination of the schools revealed that the principals
and administrators played important roles in the schools' success.
In particular, longevity in an administrative
position and specialized education were a common thread among
the flourishing schools. These leaders were chosen for administrative
positions earlier in their careers and had served more years as
middle school principals, more years as principals and more years
as principals of their current schools than the other surveyed
schools. The principals also completed more coursework specific
to middle school administration.
A principal's attitude also is essential in
creating a positive education environment, Valentine said. The
most successful administrators created environments that fostered
cooperation among the staff and between teachers and students,
as well as an environment that was organized in implementing programs
and activities.
Besides the experience and attitude of the
schools' administrators, the research team's other findings are
significant:
Community-Focused and Caring School
Environments
Creating civic-minded and caring individuals were important objectives
in the highly successful middle schools.
“The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001,
reminded Americans of the importance of teaching students the
basics of democracy and about their roles as citizens,” Valentine
said.
Successful schools emphasized service learning,
character education and interpersonal relationships between students
and teachers to foster a more personalized learning environment
that creates more “ethical and caring citizens,” Valentine
said.
Interdisciplinary Teaming
Valentine found that 95 percent of the highly successful schools
used an interdisciplinary approach to teaching core subjects.
This method incorporates a common set of students, heterogeneously
grouped, who have a common set of teachers, adjacent classrooms
and common planning times. This approach allows teachers to give
students more specialized attention based on students' needs,
and allows teachers to include more co-curricular activities in
their lesson plans.
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Copyright © 2007 — Curators of the University of Missouri
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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