Teaching in the Middle Grades

          Over the few weeks of this course, there have been some major things that I have taken away. From when I was in middle school, I remember school being a crazy time. As AMLE: This We Believ e points out, middle schoolers experience rapid changes: physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. I think this is very important for adult educators to realize because sometimes we tend to forget what changes occur in middle school. Although this was one small point made throughout the course, it is still quite important to remember and realize before entering a middle school classroom.           Another key takeaway in which I gathered from this course is trying to teach students a love for learning rather than just teaching them the “right answers.” Sometimes I also feel as if this point is forgotten as a middle school teacher. There are certain standards teachers have to meet and at times, if test scores are not met, teachers are l...

          Regarding this week’s reading from AMLE This We Believe, it talked a lot about school culture. One of the aspects of school culture that the text talked about is having a school climate in which there is limited harassment and positive interactions. One way in which the book stated this is when teachers and staff talk to each other in a respectful manner, staff and other administration call students by name, and the way in which students interact while in school. The text also talked about the idea of advisors meeting the needs of every student. The text mentioned that advisors for students can look like someone who is not necessarily a teacher, but a volunteer at a local business, retired teachers, and coaches, etc. It was particularly encouraging to read that advisors would be the person who recognizes behavioral changes in students from their spending time with the student. That advisor would report to the teacher or counselor and action would take ...