NYT Middle School Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/education/22middle.html?ex=
1170133200&en=159c7163d84e8cf7&ei=5070&emc=eta1
This article discusses both side of a recent debate concerning the extermination of middle schools. Is it up to question whether middle school students should be "coddled" for a few more years of be "rushed into adulthood". On the one side, it is argued that middle schoolers have too many other things to deal with than to be forced to switch schools. “At a time when children are undergoing emotional, physical, social changes, and when they need stability and consistency, suddenly they’re thrust into this alien environment.” Therefore, it is believed that middle schoolers do need those added years of stability before being thrown into the adult world. On the other hand, it may also be perceived as beneficial to have a 6-12 school. Many people believe that a 6-12 school is far more beneficial than a k-8 school because it helps students to focus on college at an earler age. Middle school students are behind academically and pushing them into the adult world gives them a head start on focusing on academics, helping to prepare for the adult world, and securing their occupational future. Therefore, it is believed that in order to accurately prepare for college, children need to start at an earlier age.
Both arguments do bring up a few valid points to each side, however, I completely disagree with both points of veiw. Middle school should absolutley remain seperate from high school AND elementary school. Small children are eager and need to move forward, need change. Transitional to middle school at age 10 provides them with this change. It seperates them from the "babies" of elementary school and sets them on their way to being preteens. Middle school needs to remain seperate from elementary school so that the children feel as though they are actually gaining some ground in life and not staying in the monotonous world of k-8. However, Middle school also must remain seperated from High School. Middle schoolers are fragile and thus should not be completely thrust into adult world to quickly. It is very important for children to experience their childhood, to have a carefree era within their lives. If children are constrained into remaining in a k-8 school, they will become over dependent on childhood fiqures. They may become to attached to that part of their life, thus, when they are forced finally into the adult world, they will be definitely unprepared and unable to cope, wanting always to return back to the same relics form their childhood. In this scenario it would be even harder for them to let go of the past, and move on to a world of priorities and adulthood. If middle schoolers, on the other hand, are forced into a 6-12 school, many backlashes will still occur. They will miss a valuable part of their childhood. With no other option than to mature at a young age, these children lose the carefree days of their life. Children to not want to grow up. They want to play and hang out with their friends and gossip, like preteens are supposed to. But phased into the adult world at age 12, this time of their life severed early. They must now conform to all the priorities of the adult world and look to college. Not something your average 12 year old does. Middle Schoolers NEED a transition period of their own. They need that balance. They cannot be coddled in childhood forever, nor shoved into the adultworld too soon. Thus, middle school exists. It is a time for weening away from elementary school in the beginning, and a transition to a slightly more involved work load in the end. It is the necessary block between a childhood and an adulthood; the preteen years. Middle school should not be taken away from students.
As, for teaching on one of those schools, the experience would be vastly different in comparison. In a k-8 school, the students would have dependency issues to childhood relics. They would simply run back to elementary wing at the first sign of danger, back to the have they graduated from. It would be quite difficult for them to grow a strong sense of self. thus teaching would be awkward. A teacher their would have to cope with the fragile emotional structure, thus not being able to be as strict as necessary or as in depth; this would only perpetuate the fragile emotional structure of preteens. However, working in a 6-12 school would be an experience of its own as well. Students would have a hard time coping with the new level of intensity not before seen. Teachers would be expecting much more of these students than in average middle school, and group them with the young adults. Children are not ready for this, and it could cause emotional breakdowns in young students. Teachers in these school I think would find it diffcult to cope because, a much as you want to sympathize with these should be carefree preteens, you must stick to school, strive toward a college education, and secure occupational future. Neither of those situations seem appealing to me in anyway. I would like to stick with your average school building and let it be.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/22/education/22middle.html?ex=
1170133200&en=159c7163d84e8cf7&ei=5070&emc=eta1
This article discusses both side of a recent debate concerning the extermination of middle schools. Is it up to question whether middle school students should be "coddled" for a few more years of be "rushed into adulthood". On the one side, it is argued that middle schoolers have too many other things to deal with than to be forced to switch schools. “At a time when children are undergoing emotional, physical, social changes, and when they need stability and consistency, suddenly they’re thrust into this alien environment.” Therefore, it is believed that middle schoolers do need those added years of stability before being thrown into the adult world. On the other hand, it may also be perceived as beneficial to have a 6-12 school. Many people believe that a 6-12 school is far more beneficial than a k-8 school because it helps students to focus on college at an earler age. Middle school students are behind academically and pushing them into the adult world gives them a head start on focusing on academics, helping to prepare for the adult world, and securing their occupational future. Therefore, it is believed that in order to accurately prepare for college, children need to start at an earlier age.
Both arguments do bring up a few valid points to each side, however, I completely disagree with both points of veiw. Middle school should absolutley remain seperate from high school AND elementary school. Small children are eager and need to move forward, need change. Transitional to middle school at age 10 provides them with this change. It seperates them from the "babies" of elementary school and sets them on their way to being preteens. Middle school needs to remain seperate from elementary school so that the children feel as though they are actually gaining some ground in life and not staying in the monotonous world of k-8. However, Middle school also must remain seperated from High School. Middle schoolers are fragile and thus should not be completely thrust into adult world to quickly. It is very important for children to experience their childhood, to have a carefree era within their lives. If children are constrained into remaining in a k-8 school, they will become over dependent on childhood fiqures. They may become to attached to that part of their life, thus, when they are forced finally into the adult world, they will be definitely unprepared and unable to cope, wanting always to return back to the same relics form their childhood. In this scenario it would be even harder for them to let go of the past, and move on to a world of priorities and adulthood. If middle schoolers, on the other hand, are forced into a 6-12 school, many backlashes will still occur. They will miss a valuable part of their childhood. With no other option than to mature at a young age, these children lose the carefree days of their life. Children to not want to grow up. They want to play and hang out with their friends and gossip, like preteens are supposed to. But phased into the adult world at age 12, this time of their life severed early. They must now conform to all the priorities of the adult world and look to college. Not something your average 12 year old does. Middle Schoolers NEED a transition period of their own. They need that balance. They cannot be coddled in childhood forever, nor shoved into the adultworld too soon. Thus, middle school exists. It is a time for weening away from elementary school in the beginning, and a transition to a slightly more involved work load in the end. It is the necessary block between a childhood and an adulthood; the preteen years. Middle school should not be taken away from students.
As, for teaching on one of those schools, the experience would be vastly different in comparison. In a k-8 school, the students would have dependency issues to childhood relics. They would simply run back to elementary wing at the first sign of danger, back to the have they graduated from. It would be quite difficult for them to grow a strong sense of self. thus teaching would be awkward. A teacher their would have to cope with the fragile emotional structure, thus not being able to be as strict as necessary or as in depth; this would only perpetuate the fragile emotional structure of preteens. However, working in a 6-12 school would be an experience of its own as well. Students would have a hard time coping with the new level of intensity not before seen. Teachers would be expecting much more of these students than in average middle school, and group them with the young adults. Children are not ready for this, and it could cause emotional breakdowns in young students. Teachers in these school I think would find it diffcult to cope because, a much as you want to sympathize with these should be carefree preteens, you must stick to school, strive toward a college education, and secure occupational future. Neither of those situations seem appealing to me in anyway. I would like to stick with your average school building and let it be.
