Websites for Middle Schools

This We Believe talks about students and their personal development and when their needs are met, their academic success will increase. The transition to middle school is different for middle school students. Some students may find themselves at a new location, while other students may only have to go to a different floor. These website are sites that will help students and parents who are making the transition from elementary to middle school.

http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/EnglishLanguageArts/ParentResources/Helpful+Websites+for+Parents+of+Middle+School+Students.htm

http://www.sldirectory.com/virtual.html

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/middleschool/index.html

Creating a webquest

It seems that the best way to find the perfect webquest is to create one.  Here is a website with an easy to follow guide.

http://webquest.org/index-resources.php

Webquests are outstanding, as the promote many qualities of the In This We Believe ideals.  It is challenging and empowering for students to be a dynamic and active part of what they are learning.  It invovles technology and is therefor relevant.  It is a very active form of learning and should show students that you value them (as you are reaching out with material that should appeal to them).

This follows the This We Believe ideal of being developmentally responsive, as it should stimulate a student's natural curiousity. It also challenges a student;  even more apt, it challenges a student to be self empowered - both key attributes to This We Believe.  The material itself is challenging and a student must be motivated to follow its course;  this very process empowers the student, as they are in control of, and taking an active role in, their own lesson.  It is an active and purposeful education, as students progressively witness and establish relationships between topics; they personally interrelate the information.

Here is a directory of educational resources

These sites are useful tools to teachers in following the principles of This We Believe.  This is so because  one of these websites directly lists the principles.  They list many different approaches to curriculum, as they appreciate that many different approaches must be attempted and analized to discover what approach works with this unique age group.  They also aknowledge that curriculum must be varied and challenging, and present itself to many different learning stayles - this is highlighted in the curriculum, instruction, and assessment of This We Believe.  Multiple Learning approaches are also addressed, as they encourage using different kinds of tools (including digital/computer). 

Here are some resources that will cover every aspect of In This We Believe

http://www.alline.org/euro/middle.html

This website is a tremendous resource for curriculum and lessons, for all areas of study.  It also has many links to other useful sites. 

Also, here is another excellent site ...

http://www.sitesforteachers.com/

These resources should help all teachers develop an academic and personal approach to teaching and responding to middle school students in accordance with In This We Believe ideals, found here ...

http://www.nmsa.org/AboutNMSA/ThisWeBelieve/The14Characteristics/tabid/1274/Default.aspx

NY TImes article on K-8 and 6-12 schools

Here's an interesting article that looks at two different middle schools with two different approaches.  Both share a philosophy that middle schools should be done away with, but disagree in how to approach that.  This article focuses on the unique transitional period of middle school students.  To me, this is an example of In This We Believe's idea of an authentic and ongoing assesment of what works and what doesn't work for students.  These educators have to come a belief that it is better to avoid one of the two large educational transition period for kids (whether it be at 6th or 8th grade, respectively).  This process is still ongoing and presents more questions than answeres, however. Does this give the students the educational environment they need?  Does this allow them the relationships they need with both educators (adult role models or coddlers?) and peers (should they be exposed to students they can model from or is there a danger mixing them with students that are physically and emotionally beyond them?).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/education/22middle.html?pagewanted=1&ref=thecriticalyears

Billings Middle School Blog

Here is a fantastic blog, run by the school's Technology Integration Coordinator.  This blog fits the In This We Believe bill on so many levels.  It incorporates technology (obviously), but it also encourages individuals and community, it brings students and educators together and gives them common ground, it brings information to students in an intriguing way, it promotes active learning, and it also empowers students to make choices that directly involve themselves in both the academic and social aspects of school and community.  It is fantastic.

http://www.billingsmiddleschool.org/beta/

Podcast on motivating middle school students

http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/TodaysMiddleLevelEducator/tabid/1409/Default.aspx

I'm linking to the page because I don't know how to post the actual file.  The podcast is two down on the page.  The first key words mentioned in this audio file are relevant and technology.  It is also mentioned that teachers become so focused on teaching to the standards that they fail to realize they aren't reaching kids in a way that is understood.  These both directing relate to This We Believe principles in curriculum and in educators (as educators must be willing to learn about their students and how to approach them).  This We Believe is directly addressed as motivating students is about creating a school environment that encourages learning, as well as having a challenging curriculum that interests students.  These qualities are what these podcasts seek to address.

1/12/2010
Motivating Young Adolescents (20:07)
Jack Berckemeyer is joined by Kim Campbell, classroom teacher and member of the NMSA Site-Based Services Speakers Cadre. Jack and Kim share ideas about student motivation and the role of the classroom teacher. They discuss practical ways to motivate the young adolescent.
Resources:

• The Power of Self-Esteem: Build It and They Will Flourish
  by Jim Paterson (MG, Oct. '07)
• Successful Teachers Develop Academic Momentum with Reluctant Students
  (MSJ, May '08)

Middle School Rap

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-schoolrap-20110209,0,2771753.story

This is rap that a middle school is claiming enhances education and improves test scores.  I would say this follows This We Believe in many different ways:  it shows caring and innitiative towards students from the educators, because they clearly worked hard to bring educational material to the students in a unique and interest way.  Tt shows commited leaders using active and varied educational approaches, as this approach should appeal to visual, audio, musical, tech savy students, and students that are interested in modern pop culture.  It shows a desire to make material relevant to students by presenting a unique and youth centered appeal to a modern media style.  It also shows a willingness to think outside of "the box" in the approach to students and education.  It shows creativity and care.

Staffing at the Middle School Level

This article indicates the severity of leaderships within our middle schools. The article asks are the least qualified principals assigned to the neediest school buildings? “This We Believe” states that leaders (Principals) need to be knowledgeable about the age group in which she/he is servicing and collaborate with others parents, staff, and community.

How do you use math?

Weapons of Math Destruction

In “This We Believe”
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment are important and informative in a student’s academic future. When a student is proficient in the district’s curriculum, instruction, and assessments however, that student has to take remedial math in college then who is the blame?

Parent teacher conference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr5kWOdkHYA&feature=related

This video is a discussion between a parent and teacher it goes with in this we believe and parent involvement.

Perspective

A Vision of K-12 Learners Today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=grec_index

This Youtube clip demonstrates how imperative is is that we adhere to the Essential Attributes of This We Believe, which state that an education for young adolescents (for all children) must be 1. Developmentally Responsive; 2. Challenging; 3. Empowering; 4. Equitable.

What Teachers Make

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuBmSbiVXo0&NR=1

This is a short youtube clip of a teacher named Taylor Mali going off on someone who asked him what he makes.

So You Want to be a Teacher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGawx9vFM7Y

I thought you would enjoy this short cartoon about a veteran teacher questioning a young person's decision to become a teacher.

It fits into the This We Believe idea that Educators value your adolescents (students) and are prepared to teach them.

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-ms.html

Here is a link to 6-8 grade level Webquest.

the information below was taken directly from the web site.

By participating in 5 different lessons, you will determine for yourself how webquests may be used and useful when you implement them in your own classroom.

The use of Webquest falls under the This We Believe characteristic of educators developing our curriculums to be, "challenging, exploratory, integrative and relevant."

Introduction

Since early in 1995, teachers everywhere have learned how to use the web well by adopting the WebQuest format to create inquiry-oriented lessons. But what exactly is a WebQuest? What does it feel like to do one? How do you know a good one when you see it? In the space of 90 minutes, you're going to grapple with these questions and more.

The Task

To develop great WebQuests, you need to develop a thorough understanding of the different possibilities open to you as you create web-based lessons. One way for you to get there is to critically analyze a number of webquest examples and discuss them from multiple perspectives. That's your task in this exercise.

By the end of this lesson, you and your group will answer these questions:

1. Which two of example WebQuests listed below are the best ones? Why?
2. Which two are the worst? Why?
3. What do best and worst mean to you?

Inside the Teenage Brain

Newman, J. (2010). They're moody. Secretive. Infuriating! Now scientists are starting to figure

out why. Retrieved from http://www.parade.com/news/2010/11/28-inside-the-teenage-brain.html

from Diary of a Wimpy Kid

This We Believe states that curriculum must be challenging and exploratory, but it must also be relevant. That is the key.  This We Believe states that educators must care and be an advocate for students and their rights.  If we are to do this, we must establish a link between who we teach and what we teach.  It must be made interesting to the student and it must be made relevant in their lives.
I thought this cartoon was interesting, as it can be seen to represent the "Junior High School" approach, where college prep/ high school curriculum (and standardized testing) is the focus and not individual growth.  I attended a junior high and I took Algebra in 7th grade;  Algebra is considered to be a high school course.  This was par for the course in my junior high.  I wasn't even aware that a difference existed between junior highs and middle schools;  I thought they were different names for the same institution.  My school was very coordinated with the high school curriculum and I am having a hard time remembering much of anything that would fit the progressive philosophies of middle schools.

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