Developing A Healthy Environment For Our Student 's Academic Growth Essay

“…apart from the prime and given responsibility of teaching selected content and skills, middle school teachers must be about the business of helping students believe in themselves, form their character, discover their interests, nurture their potential, gain a sound perspective on their physical development and related health issues, and develop those universally and critically important humanitarian and social skills—all while daring them to be their best selves, to breath deeply, and to live well at the moment.”

In this paper I plan to discuss the developmental stages of adolescence. Adolescents are also referred to as "teenagers" or "young adults." Adolescence begins after the childhood stage and ends right before adulthood. The years of adolescence range from 12 years old to 21 years old. The years of adolescence can be quite a roller coaster ride. Young people in this stage encounter a great deal of changes in their life as they prepare for adulthood. I will discuss emotional, intellectual, physiological, and social domains of development and how it relates to adolescents. I will also discuss some helpful tips for teachers to aide in communicating effectively to adolescents and understanding their

In fifth grade one of our most important goals is to help students prepare for the big changes coming their way once they enter the Middle School. In order for this to happen, we will be expecting much from our students, but I promise to do my best to provide a safe and fun environment in which students can learn and prepare for these changes.

The attitude and characteristics of a middle school teacher greatly influence student learning, behaviour, confidence and sense of community. Middle school teachers should be aware of the physical, social, emotional and cognitive developments of middle year students. It is very important middle school teachers come prepared and design effective engaging lessons to impart knowledge to students. Teachers must develop vividness and interest of students using creative and innovative ways of learning strategies. They should also develop the capacity and flexibility to negotiate and plan the curriculum around students’ needs, interests, and learning styles. Effective teachers motivate students with a positive attitude

The National Middle School Association (NMSA) is now known as the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). It has been a “voice for those committed to the educational and developmental needs of young adolescents” since 1973. This organization is the only national education association specifically committed to those in the middle level grades. There are over 30,000 members including principals, teachers, central office personnel, professors, college students, parents, community leaders, and educational consultants. The AMLE is recognized across the United States, Canada, and 46 other countries. In addition, AMLE has a network of “58 affiliate organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia that strengthen outreach to the regional, state, provincial, and local levels.” The Association for Middle Level Education’s mission is dedicated to improving the educational experiences of all students ages 10 to 15 by providing vision, knowledge, and resources to educators and leaders. (National Association of State Boards of Education, n.d., paragraph 1).

Many students worry about how their middle school years will go. Middle school is a very important part of a student’s education. Middle school is their initiation into high school and could really impact their future. Many elementary school students think that they are prepared and can do well in middle school, but many are not ready. Also, students who do not do well in middle school tend to not do well in high school. One lesson I would like to teach elementary school students is how to survive middle school, which is important because it will lead them to a better future by being prepared, managing time, and knowing how to problem solve.

Many people endure three years of middle school and four years of high school. It is an eventful time for children between 11 to 18 years old. During the adolescent years there are hormonal changes, environmental changes and emotional developmental gains. Middle school is the beginning of transitioning towards independence under the constant eye of adults. During high school they are challenged with real-world challenges that help them transition into adulthood. The behaviors of these individuals change as the factors change around them. For every person, the experience of high school or middle school may be different. Either way, both have the same goal of wanting the student to succeed and evolve. Even so, the similarities and differences vary. Middle school and high school are alike in the areas of receiving an education, socializing with others, and having teachers while different in areas of maturity, difficulty in work, and independence.

Middle school is no-one's favorite time. It’s that awkward transition from childhood to young adulthood, where students begin to determine who they want to be. I was a student who kept to myself and devoted most of my time to academics, maintaining only a small group of friends and never straying far from my comfort zone.

Dr. Alicia Noyola, Chief Academic Officer presented the topic “College and Career Readiness – The Middle School Journey”. This topic is aligned with the Strategic Plan, specifically goals one and four. She stated that a Middle School Transformation Design Team was created last fall to address college and career readiness at the middle school level. Dr. Noyola reviewed the journey that the District has taken regarding early literacy and high school redesign. Since middle schools are the bridge between elementary and high school, the Design Team looked at some of the unique challenges middle schools face in order to transform the middle school experience.

A very important part of life is education. In order to acquire a satisfying education, one should complete high school prior to college. College and high school have two different levels of education, but both are trying to further student’s knowledge. As recent high school graduates and college freshman’s many can clarify similarities and differences between the two. Some obvious similarities are that both have assignments, classrooms, and students. Although college and high school have many differences three of the main ones are the teachers, classes, and responsibilities.

Middle school learners are perhaps the most diverse group of students in education today. The differences that exist in every classroom, including gender, socio-economic class, linguistic and cultural background, learning style, and intellectual capacity, is increased by individual differences in developmental level. While all middle school students will progress through different developmental levels and display the characteristics inherent in each, they will reach and conquer these developmental milestones at difference times. Because of this difference in developmental maturity, students may also be at their most vulnerable, as they progress through stages they don’t understand and can’t control.

The Association for Middle Level Education 's list of Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards focuses directly on the knowledge and skills needed to teach young adolescents successfully. Middle Level Teacher '€™s use their knowledge of major concepts, principles, theories and research to improve their practice. The AMLE Standards provide a guideline to assist in curricular decisions, preparation and planning and providing a safe and effective learning environment for the Middle Level Students. Standard One; Young Adolescent Development is imperative for being an adequate educator for this age level. In order to successfully fulfill these standards, it 's important to understand the transitional years 10-15 year olds are experiencing at

High school is a crucial period for all adolescences, it’s a time where teenagers are approaching young adulthood, their learning new skills rapidly, and making important decisions (Blakemore, 2011). For this reason, it is highly imperative for high school students to have positive influences in their lives, especially in their educational setting. In high school, educators play an important role in their student’s lives because they have the opportunity to have a stronger impact on their future and their goals. In addition, they also have the opportunity to, inspire them to learn and try new things, teach them how to make sound decisions, and encourage them to collaborate with their peers (Bellanca & Brandt, 2010).

This lesson mainly addressed aspects related to career development. This lesson encourages students to discover their academic and personal strengths, their skillsets, and their interests. Students then take those concepts and apply them to career exploration. They are able to link their strengths, preferences, and abilities to potential future career paths. Some of the specific aspects of career development that I addressed include applying planning and career exploration in setting and obtaining lifelong career goals, applying necessary skills for career readiness and success, and teaching students where and how to obtain information about post-secondary options. In this lesson students are encouraged to apply decision making skills to place different careers into the appropriate career fields. In doing so, they are also encouraged to begin thinking about careers that are of interest to them and what career goals they have for themselves. They will be given resources in order to continue career exploration outside of the classroom. While I do not expect sixth graders to fully decide their career path, it is my firm belief that it is never too early to get students thinking about careers and having them set goals in order to obtain the career and future that they desire. I also believe that this unit touches on social and emotional development as well as academic development. This lesson allows the student to collaborate with one another and work in groups as well as in pairs. This promotes relationship building and teamwork. It also allows students to take an inventory of their personal strengths and skillsets. This could boost self-esteem and promotes a sense of self-awareness. Lastly, this unit also encompasses academic development. Students will understand that good grades and academic success are key elements to obtaining the career that they wish to have. By being academically successful, this will allow them greater options and opportunity post high school graduation.

Yet, the education does not stop at middle school, for high school really puts all the basic skills from elementary and middle school to work as the assignments and the exams become more challenging. We do not only learn about reading, writing, history, and math, we learn about the people around us as we associate with different personalities, and as we see what we have grown up to be and what we want to be later in life. Accordingly, the high school years are a time when teachers emphasize the importance of graduating and attending college in order to have a “succesful future.”