Middle School Philosophy Paper

Brianna Schwartz

Winona State University

EFRT 449

Fall 2012

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1) What is the purpose (end in mind) of education in the 21st Century?

Education in the 21st Century is not just about scores on a national

standardized test, which is what a lot of school systems have become. Students are

fed information and teachers are having them regurgitate it back onto paper.

Education in the 21st century is much more than that; it is teaching students the

skills and knowledge needed to be a successful, contributing member of today’s

society.

According to The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, along with the core

subject’s content, the students also need to gain an understanding of life and career

skills, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity skills, and

information, media, and technology skills (2011). Many of these skills are ones that

have been around well before the 21st century. The Association for Middle Level

Education (AMLE) says that it is how students are learning these skills is what is

drastically changing (2010). Two tools, possibly the most important tools, that

teachers can use the classroom are questions and problems (AMLE, 2010). These

tools may seem simple and outdated, but questions and problems can be very

valuable tools in the classroom. Questions and problems give students an

opportunity to uncover and find an answer. Going through the process of finding

the answer themselves gives them a deeper understanding of the topic and use of

valuable skills, such as accessing valid information, which they may not even know

they are doing (AMLE, 2010).

Content is still an important piece of the curriculum, but skills are just as

important. The article, 21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead, written by Andrew

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J. Rotherham and Daniel Willingham states, “The issue is how to meet the challenges

of delivering content and skills in a rich way that genuinely improves outcomes for

students,” (2009). An educator must intertwine content and these valuable skills,

such as communication or collaboration, together and teach the value of both.

Students, as members of the society, need to be able to be put in a situation,

ask the question and be able to come up with an answer. The answer is usually the

easy part, it can usually be answered based on the content or knowledge base, but it

is the question that becomes the difficult part. The student must be able to problem-

solve and think critically to work through the situation before the answer is even

part of the equation. Content and knowledge is nothing without the skills to use

them and having these skills is not really much without the content or knowledge.

In order to become productive, successful, and contributing citizens in the

21st Century, one of the most valuable skills a person can have is knowing how to

learn. Being able to learn new things and adapt to the rapidly changing world, for

example technology and people discovering new information everyday, becomes a

huge part in being able to be successful in the workplace after school. If a person

knows how to learn, the options for him/her become endless. That is the real

purpose of education.

Rick Wormeli states in is article, Living With and Teaching Young

Adolescents: A Teacher’s Perspective, that Eighty percent of the jobs that these

middle school students will have are not even invented yet. So it is nearly

impossible to teach them the content and knowledge needed for these jobs, but we

can teach them what these employers will be looking for: people that can self-

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educate, problem solve, anticipate needs, collaborate with others, think for

themselves, and behave ethically (Wormeli, 2012) John W. Gardner stated, “ All too

often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to

grow their own plants.”

2) How does the middle school fit into the overall end in mind?

Middle school is a time of countless changes within a person, from physical

changes, intellectual changes, social changes and many more. When considering the

purpose of education and thinking about how the things they are taught will stay

with the students throughout their adult lives, middle school is one of the crucial

times. California’s Department of Education’s (CDE) 1989 publication of

Characteristics of Middle School students states that middle school students are

intellectually at-risk. Meaning that during this time frame, they will be making

many decisions that will affect their academics and could possibly have lifetime

consequences.

Some of these decisions come from their social life explorations. They will

face many decisions, like what is more important, friends or school, who they hang

out with after school, among many other social decisions (CDE, 1989). The

decisions that they make now, such as choosing friends over school or vice versa or

hanging out with a certain crowd in middle school will effect his/her success in high

school and beyond if they keep going down that path, it can either affect him/her

positively or negatively.

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“They deal with tremendous pressures from peers, parents, and society, all

the while searching for identity, purpose, security, and acceptance,” (Wormeli,

2012). He lists these things that adolescents crave: positive social interaction with

adults and peers, structure and clear limits, physical activity, creative expression,

competence and achievement, meaningful participation in families, school and

communities, and opportunities for self-definition (Wormeli, 2012). Wormeli

writes:

“If we don't meet these needs at home and at school, young adolescents will

become alienated, lack self-esteem and a sense of belonging, and choose

destructive methods of coping, including delinquency and drugs. Early

adolescence is the last point of effective intervention before their reversible

downward spiral toward self-destruction that can occur if we do not provide

developmentally responsive learning environments for these students.”

Wormeli’s statement puts into perspective what can happen if middle school

students do not get the proper instruction and/or have the right adults and teachers

in their lives. It can be a very self-destructive, difficult road for students if these

things start in middle school. On the other hand, if we do meet the needs of middle

school students, educators are creating a foundation and direction for the rest of

these students’ lives so one day, these students can become successful, contributing

members of society.

3) Who is the current middle school student in the 21st Century? Refer to the student profile activity.

A student in the 21st Century differs greatly from a student twenty years ago.

In 1992, the music of choice was played on a cassette tape, Google was not even a

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thought, and what in the world was texting? Twenty years later, in 2012, Google is

the number one search engine in the world, a 2012 study done by Amanda Lenhart

called Teens, Smartphones, and Texting found the average teenager sends roughly 60

text messages per day (100 for females, 50 for males), and we are in the world of

digital music. The main difference that is separating the student in 1992 and 2012

is technology, which means how the student is learning.

The physical, cognitive, and social development of middle school students

has always been the same with a few minor changes here and there. According to

Mark Pennington in his article, Characteristics of Middle School Learners, two things

students need is one, cognitively, they prefer hands-on learning and two, students

need to feel socially accepted by their peer. Cognitively, students are starting to

think more abstract and critically. They want to be independent, but still need adult

guidance (Pennington, 2009). Middle school is the time when everyone hits their

growth spurts at different time, so their physical development varies among

students. Their bodies are going through many changes, which can make them feel

self-conscious. Males and females are both going through a time where some of

their peers have already gone through puberty, or they were one of the first in the

class to go through puberty and growth spurts which can still make them feel

socially unaccepted. An article adopted by the AMLE in 2002, titled Supporting

Student in Their Transition to Middle School, states that they are trying to “avoid

exposure and embarrassment”. Sometimes trying to fit in and avoid embarrassment

can shift their focus from school and there may be a decline in academic

performance, motivation, and self-perception (AMLE, 2002)

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The physical, cognitive, and social development has no significant difference

from 1992, but the technology and how students are learning within the classroom

has changed drastically. The World Wide Web is where most research is done;

IPads are in Kindergarten classrooms, and it seems paper and pencil work is out the

door. It is the job of educators to keep up with technology and use current methods

to keep the students engaged and interested.

4) What are the potential barriers to the…

a. Student

The potential barriers to any student’s learning are endless. Each child’s

personality is different, which means the learning barriers for each student

varies. Harvey Lee states in his article, Barriers to Learning: Not All Problems

are Biological in Origin, that there are three types of learning problems, type I

is caused by factors aside from the person, type II is caused by a combination

of the person and environmental factors and type III is caused by minor central

nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. As an educator, know these three types are

essential.

Type I could include things like issues at home, poverty, and

overcrowded schools or classrooms. Type I is anything that is out a student’s

control but still directly affects them. Type III is a dysfunction in the CNS, this

is where the learning disabilities would fall. Type II is a combination of Type I

and III. It is a combination of the student’s personality and the environment,

such as his/her attitudes, beliefs, and values.

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It really comes down to each individual student, what may have

happened that day; and where his/her mind is at during the time when

learning could be taking place. For example, if a student got in a bullied on the

bus before school and comes into his first hour history class, his mind most

likely is on what happened that morning and there is a slim chance he will

remember anything from that history lesson.

b. Teacher

It is the teachers’ job to get past the potential barriers of the students.

But the teacher themselves could be going through some of the same things the

students are going through. Aside from the personal learning barriers, teachers

come across many obstacles when trying to over come the students’ barriers in

their classrooms. As observed in two La Crescent classrooms, barriers to the

teacher include possibly the lack of financial support from the school, behavior

problems in the class, and reaching each individual student academically,

socially, and emotionally.

Some schools do not have the financial capability to fund each teacher

with everything he/she wants or having budget cuts so class sizes are huge. It

is going to take creativity from the teacher to come up with inexpensive and

successful ways to teach the students. Because the students have everyday

struggles and barriers, some days the behavior of some students could be

chaotic, teachers must maintain control of the class the that student does not

disrupt the learning of others. Reaching every single student in the classroom is

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going to be one of the biggest barriers. A teacher must find different teaching

strategies so each student can learn to his/her fullest potential.

c. School

There are many possible barriers the school may have. One of the

biggest barriers is the school’s financial state. According to the National

Association for Secondary School Principals (NASSP) article, School

improvement, some others barriers, if not in place, include collaborative

leadership, personalizing the school environment, and having curriculum,

instruction and assessment to improve student performance.

This framework, called Breaking Ranks, is built of leadership,

professional development, culture, organization, curriculum, instruction,

assessment, relationships and equity (NASSP, 2012). If a school lacks in just

one of these areas, it can be a barrier to students because they might not be

getting the best possible education. The entire school needs to work together to

provide these things for the students.

d. Community

The community can really have an effect on a school. Some communities are

well knit together and support their schools by donating items and/or money.

Some, on the other hand, do not. This is all affected by socioeconomic status,

urban/suburban, and population of the community.

According to a 2011 Georgia Bikes article, Removing Barriers to Community-

Centered Schools, “Schools are also important anchors that help define and

sustain our neighborhoods.” The location of the school is actually a big factor is

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some communities. Roughly, 35 percent of K-8 students live within two miles

of their school (Georgia Bikes, 2011). In neighborhoods where the crime rates

are high and walking is there only option, the attendance may be low. Many of

these schools are located in low socioeconomic, urban areas.

Population of the community may also play a part in the success of the

school. Low numbers usually means low funding. Many times these small

community schools get a lot of their funding and donations from local

businesses and families.

5) How will your teaching contribute to the end in mind?

a. How does general pedagogy contribute to the means to the end?

Education always has a purpose. If there was not a purpose, then why

would there be education. As educators, the purpose, or end result should

always be on the mind. How will the content or skills being taught affect the

students as they grow older and enter our society as adults?

General pedagogy is not all about content, one of the most important aspects

is the skills that are being taught along with the content. Many times the

students do not even know they are being taught these skills. Some of these

skills include problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, communication and

21st century skills (Rotherham, Willingham 2009).

A majority of the students’ careers and jobs that they will get when they are

adults have yet to even be created (Wormeli, 2012). The content of many

subjects that educators are teaching today could be irrelevant ten-fifteen years

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down the road; it is what the students learn while learning the content that is a

huge part in their future. In the end, their critical thinking skills, problem

solving skills, ability to work as a team and individual, communication and the

ability to adapt to an ever-changing society is what will get them that job offer.

b. How does your content area contribute to the means to the end?

Health and Physical Education are two subjects the content and skills learned

in the classrooms will be a part of a student’s life until death. Health education

can sometimes be the means between life and death at some point in a person’s

life. Drug and alcohol prevention, sex education, injuries, first aid, and nutrition

are just a few of the topics that can be covered in health education.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly state that

students’ health is directly correlated with academic success. CDC also states,

“Academic success is an excellent indicator for the overall well-being of youth

and a primary predictor and determinant of adult health outcomes.” Not only

does health education teach content, but also how to make healthy decisions,

analyze the people and influences around them, how to set goals, among many

other skills.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) gives the

rationale for Physical education, “Physical activity is critical to the development

and maintenance of good health. The goal of physical education is to develop

physically educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills and confidence

to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity.” Habits are formed at a young

age. If students can get into the habit of getting exercise, eating healthy, and

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knowing how to take care of themselves, they will be setting out for a long,

healthy life.

6) When do you know you have achieved the purpose in education through

your teaching?

In most subjects, there is standardized testing every year to determine where

the students are at academically. Within the classroom there is formative and

summative assessments done daily to help keep the teachers on board of where

their students are at in their classrooms. Within my field of Health and Physical

Education, there is not a standardized test, so how can educators measure

achievement.

In the debate of “Is the use of standardized tests improving education in

America?”, opposing views say that the classroom becomes a place for teachers

“teaching to the test” and not to the students (2012). Even with standardized tests,

teachers must be able to show their students’ achievement to parents and others

who may not believe in standardized tests.

AMLE helps define formative and summative assessments in an article by

Catherine Garrison and Michael Ehringhaus called, Formative and Summative

Assessments in the Classroom. Formative and Summative assessment both take place

in the classroom and this gives teachers assessment that they can show parents

their child’s progress and achievement. Formative assessments are part of the

instructional process. As a lesson is taking place, these small, informal assessments

give teachers an idea if the students are grasping that day’s lesson. This gives the

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teacher time to make adjustments if necessary so the students are getting achieving

the goal of that lesson (AMLE, 2007)

In the Health and Physical Education field, educators may never know the full

effect they have on their students, or if their teachings were ever effective.

Educators must teach to the best of their ability and hope that this information hits

home. For example, when teaching the sex education unit in health and the teacher

gives a lesson on contraceptives, the teacher cannot assess that teaching. They have

to hope that whenever that day is for the student, he/she will make the right

decision about contraceptive use.

7) Synthesis

The real purpose of education is giving students the skills and knowledge to

one day become productive members of society. Life and career skills, critical

thinking and problem solving skills, proper communication skills, how to be

collaborative, creativity skills and information, media and technology skills are just

a few skills on a long list that will help students in the future. Of course, content is

still an important piece of education as well, but it is the educators job to intertwine

the content and those lifelong and 21st Century skills.

Middle school is a crucial time when students are going through an

abundance of physical, intellectual, cognitive, and social changes. This is also the

time when they are searching to find their own identity away from their parents and

families, but still need help and guidance along the way. This is the time when they

start to form some of their lifelong habits and it is important for them to start

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making the right decisions now or they could be headed down a road of destructive

behaviors.

The 21st century student is much different than twenty years ago. Though

the physical, intellectual, cognitive and social changes are still there, it is how the

student is learning is the big difference. Students, now, have never been without the

World Wide Web or cell phones. Technology has become so advanced and is

constantly changing. It is important for educators so stay current with technology

and try to incorporate it into the classroom.

These changes among students also create learning barriers. These barriers

are endless and are different for each individual student. Teacher’s must try to

overcome the students’ learning barriers in order to reach each student

academically, socially, and emotionally. Other barriers for teachers include

behavior issues, classroom management and financial support from the school. The

financial state of the school is one of the school’s biggest barriers. Having good

leadership within the school is also essential and having a good curriculum,

instruction and assessment set in place. The school serves the community families

with a safe place for the children each day. But that the community also may have

some barriers such as having a low socioeconomic status, being eight urban or

suburban, the population and the location of the school.

Within each school, education should always have a purpose. Thinking about

the end result each teacher must think of how the content and skills they are

teaching will affect the students’ lives in the future. Specifically, health and physical

education are two subjects that have lifelong lessons. Knowing how to take care of

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your body, eating right, and making the right decisions are all things that students

will take with them for the rest of their lives.

Now assessing health and physical education can be difficult. Educators may

never know if the content, knowledge and skills they teach are ever put into practice

by the students. But there are things to do along the way, such as formative an

summative assessments, that can provide teachers with data to see if the students

are understanding the content and skills.

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Resources

Associations for Middle Level Education. (March 2002). Supporting students in their transition to middle school. Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/ aboutamle/positionstatements/transitioningstudents/tabid/283/default.aspx

California Department of Education. "Characteristics of Middle Grade Students,” Caught in the Middle (1989). Sacramento: California Department of Education, pages 144-148.  Retrieved from http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/ documentlibrary/characteristicsmg.aspx

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (October 2011). Health and academics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/health_and_ academics/

Garrison, C., & Ehringhaus, M. (2007). Formative and summative assessments in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/Publications/Web Exclusive/Assessment/tabid/1120/Default.aspx

Georgia Bikes. (2011, March 4). Removing barriers to community-centered schools. Retrieved from http://georgiabikes.org/index.php/resources/51-helping-johnny/124-removing-barriers-to-community-centered-schools

National Association for Sport and Physical Acitivy. (2004). Moving into the furture:national standards for physical education, 2nd edition. Retrieved from http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/nationalstandards/pestandards.cfm

National Association of Secondary School Principals. School improvement. Retrieved from http://www.nassp.org/school-improvement

La Crescent Middle School Observations. La Crescent, MN.

Lenhart, Amanda. (March 2012). Teens, smartphones & texting, Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Teens-and-smartphones/ Summary-of-findings.aspx

Lee, H. (2003, September). Barriers to learning: Not all problems are biological in origin. Pacific Educator, Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache: oL1lOPqkBTAJ:www.prel.org/products/paced/sep03/pc_barriers.pdf &hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi3dsOElwi6I-Guhv5HQoRV1fPmYmIRevWORdJf8f4JbB4JH3zytDpopaCgwrIKgnv1u9XRIV6qBMpZ1-foavGHKkcfwSev843K_ApOOrSn0YfrkvDauA-QLEu_JesW30487Ram&sig=AHIEtbQY3GyQH5rLrBOMvNraz6fCgVh9EA

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (March 2011). Framework for 21st century learning. `Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/tools-and-resources/educators#defining

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Pennington, Mark. (January 2009). Pennington publishing blog: Characteristics of middle school learners. Retrieved from http://penningtonpublishing.com/ blog/reading/characteristics-of-middle-school-learners/

ProCon Organization. (October 2012). Is the use of standarized tests improving education in america. Retrieved from http://standardizedtests.procon.org/

Rotherham, A., & Willingham, D. (2009). 21st century skills: the challenges ahead. (Vol. 67, pp. 16-21). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ publications /educational-leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/21st-Century-Skills@-The-Challenges-Ahead.aspx

Wormeli, Rick. (2012). Living with and teaching young adolescents: a teacher’s perspective. Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/moya/PlanYourCelebration/ PRResources/TeachersPerspective/tabid/1195/Default.aspx

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