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.

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.

This We Believe Pg 1-26

This section of the book focused on two big things: 1) Goals of middle school education and 2) How to accomplish those goals.  I actually agreed with all of the goals put forth in the book, especially the one, "Develop the interpersonal and social skills needed to learn, work, and play with others harmoniously and confidently."  I think this is a very important skill for young people to have.  I think this, because in this day and age, the world in a lot smaller than it used to be, what with the emerging technologies that make it easy for us to communicate with people all over the world.  So it is important for young people to know how to interact with everyone, not just the people they will encounter every day at school.  Also, I feel like the phrase "interpersonal and social skills" doesn't just mean the skills to be friendly with anyone they meet, but it also means that students will learn how to be tolerant and accepting of other people, cultures, religions, races, sexual orientations, etc., as they will encounter many different people in their lifetimes.