Turning Points 2000 Chapter 3

This chapter focused on the Backward Design Model, which we learned about in Practicum.  While I was reading this, I thought it would have been nice to read this chapter while I was in Practicum!  But reading it now, it was nice to have a little more research with the Backward Design Model than we did in Practicum.  Back then, we just put it into practice, but reading about it really reinforced it for me (as it's been a while since I've taken Practicum and my memories of it are a little faded).  But anyway, I really like the Backward Design Model, because it forces teachers to really look at the point of their lessons, and to make sure that with every lesson, students are learning something, and can show what they learned.  I'm more of a fan of the performance task, because I don't really like tests, as I don't think memorizing facts and spitting them back out on a piece of paper really shows you know something.  I think with the performance task, students can really be creative, and show that they really know the material, and can remember it and have actually learned something.

This We Believe Pgs. 43-62

The bulk of this section focused on how young people start changing at the ages of 10-14.  This was a nice tool to have at the end of the book, but honestly, I felt like I already knew most of the things that were said.  I went through puberty, and all the kids I went to middle school with went through puberty as well.  I remember what it was like.  I didn't need some book to tell me what happens during puberty, because I've already experienced it.  Overall, it just seemed like while I was reading it, I felt like I was just saying to myself, 'I remember that happening to me, and that, and that, and that...' and so on and so forth.

This We Believe Pgs. 33-42

One part of this reading focused on Advocacy programs in middle schools, and having an adult advocate for every student, whether it's through and Advisory program or guidance counselors, etc.  When I was in middle school, there was an Advisory program that we went to twice a week, but it wasn't really anything special.  From what I remember of it, students just went there to sit and hang out for a short period of time before going to the next class.  There was no actual advising taking place.  I think in a real middle school, an advisory period would be a period for students to get to know their classmates and teacher, and build a community, and be able to talk about the problems and issues they face in their everyday lives.  They would be supported by their classmates and teacher, and would be able to go to them for help.  As for the part about needing a guidance counselor in a middle school, I think this is a great idea.  There were two guidance counselors in my middle school, and it was really great.  Middle school is where some students start to get an extremely rough idea about what they might want to do with their lives, and when lots of things (whether they are emotional, physical, etc.) happen to them.  For them to have someone they can go to for guidance about what to do in their lives is a great thing.

Meet Me in the Middle Chapter 9

This chapter was about block scheduling.  I didn't have block scheduling in middle school, but I did have it in high school.  While in high school, I really liked it.  I had kind of a rotating block schedule, where we would have our blocks, but every day, two would get rotated out and two would get rotated in.  I really liked that scheduling, because I wouldn't have every class every day, and it was nice to have a little break from two of my classes.  Also, while I was reading this chapter, it was nice to have Wormeli gave an example of how to lesson plan for block scheduling, but as I was reading, I felt like I already learned how to do that in practicum, so I kind of felt like I was re-learning what I already knew. 

Meet Me in the Middle Chapters 11-12

In order to have a successful middle school, teams should be used to teach each grade.  And Chapter 11 dealt with how to have a successful team.  They talked about Subject Integration, which I think is something that is really great.  Every subject in school is connected, and the sooner all middle schools can have integrated curricula, the better.  I think that students will learn better if they can connect the subjects together.

This We Believe Pgs. 27-33

This part of the book was about leaders, and how effective leaders run a middle school.  I think this was a good chapter to include in the book.  Sometimes, the principal is the person who the community most associates with the school; even more so than teachers sometimes.  So it's important that a principal knows how to lead his school.  It's also very important that teachers and the principal be on the same page in terms of education.  Because if the teachers and principal aren't on the same page, then the school will suffer.

Turning Points 2000 Chapter 6

This chapter was about relationships between students and teachers, and ways that teachers and schools can build better relationships with students.  I think student/teacher relationships are one of the most important aspects of education.  Because if a student does not like a teacher, than that student won't even try in the class, no matter what.  But if a student does like a teacher, and feels comfortable around them, than that student will try their hardest.  In my experience, I never really had a teacher that I really loved and felt comfortable and safe around, until I got to college, and I think it showed in my schoolwork in middle school and high school.  But I think that if I did have a teacher like that, it would have changed my attitude towards school.