Middle schoolers are amazing humans. Their educators and caregivers have the privilege of watching them develop physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively as they discover new vistas, form new relationships, and explore their developing identity. We have so much to benefit from knowing and understanding students’ perspectives on themselves, their education, and the world around them. Did you know:
10-15 year-olds are experiencing the most rapid, significant changes of their lives other than infancy.
During the middle grades, students construct the attitudes, values, and dispositions that will form who they become as adults.
Young adolescents are developing the ability to imagine the future and think ahead. They begin to make decisions based less on impulse and more on goals.
Of all age groups, middle grades students are the most receptive to positive change following a career development intervention – more so than even high school students.
Despite these factors, the middle grades are the most under addressed period within the educational system, with fewer investments in the middle grades than in early childhood or the high school to post-secondary transition. We also know there is a documented, significant decline in youth engagement in the middle grades.
Luckily, the research tells us what young adolescents need to thrive! The middle school model, or a school specifically designed to meet the students’ needs, has been around for nearly a century. The concept is best articulated by AMLE’s foundational position paper, The Successful Middle School: This We Believe, which identifies 5 Essential Attributes and 18 Characteristics of a successful middle grades school:
Responsive
Using the distinctive nature and identities of young adolescents as the foundation upon which all decisions about school are made.
Challenging
Cultivating high expectations and advancing learning for every member of the school community.
Empowering
Facilitating environments in which students take responsibility for their own learning and contribute positively to the world around them.
Equitable
Providing socially just learning opportunities and environments for every student.
Engaging
Fostering a learning atmosphere that is relevant, participatory, and motivating for all learners.
~AMLE.ORG