This We Believe

Pages 1 - 26

This We Believe pages 1-26 discussed the fundamental basis of middle grades education. The part I found the most important was the description of education being developmentally responsive in order to reach the goals of middle level education. I agree wholeheartedly with the notion that education should center around what is developmentally appropriate and encouraging for this age group and that is one of the biggest tasks at hand for teachers in this stage of schooling. I am very glad that the authors addressed this and worked it in as a key principle in making a successful education for students ages 10-14, for I feel it can be frequently overlooked by adults who wish to treat these students as children while holding them to adult standards which further blurs the lines of expectations for them in this developmentally difficult time.

Pages 27 - 33

"Effective leaders challenge and change practices that do not serve students' best interests and confront issues not in line with the vision." This is a great summation of educators' responsibility to their students and the presence of the mission statement enacted within the classroom. I believe many schools have the ability to develop a meaningful and promising mission statement, but how many teachers actually stay true to it in every lesson they make? We should constantly be striving to achieve the level of excellence outlined in the very foundations of our schools. I also think some teachers can become too emmersed in what they want the students to be doing and in doing so, they are blinded to the ineffectiveness of their own practices. This quote serves as a reminder that students are always the number one priority and our goal is to do what is right for them, not what we assume will be "good for them".

*Note: This link is directed at making a healthier district, but the technique outlined is applicable to any kind of school reform.

Pages 33 - 42

"Staff embers are cordial to each other, teachers and administrators call students by name" This statement speaks volumes of the power of leading by example. If we as teachers and staff members can demonstrate respect and camaraderie for one another, we can model for students how to behave in a socially supportive manner. Given, there are the students who will not follow this mold and will still act out and bully. But I believe by doing this we are able to exemplify appropriate friendly interactions for those who may not be certain of their social role at this age. The other part I liked about this quote is the fact that they included administrators. Too often I feel as though principals and other school officials are disconnected with the students they represent. Having an administrator be able to address students by name is quite meaningful at any age, but can be especially powerful during this stage in schooling.

Pages 43 - 62

I really like that every suggestion in this book is backed with some form of practical research. This is a book all middle level teachers should invest in because these techniques implemented in the classroom could do wonders to change how these grades are taught nation wide. It also makes me wonder the effectiveness of the methods described; will it be effective if just one teacher enacts them or will the entire school have to dedicate to this reform? In that case, should the national learning standards altogether be edited to follow these guidelines? Just food for thought.