There is little arguing with the data. It seems that K - 8 schools, quite common in Baltimore City, are here to stay, and data bears that they should be. In Mary Tamer's "Ed." magazine article "Do Middle Schools Make Sense," the answer seems to be a clear no. If student achievement, as measured by test scores, is the measure of success, the middle school model is not successful; it does not serve the purpose of a school by improving learning for its students.
However, there is more to a school than test scores. Our public schools are the great equalizers. They are places where students not only learn academically, but improve socially and gain experiences. In a small school, beginning or maintaining an extracurricular activity is a challenge. It is difficult to garner enough interest in activities to make it worthwhile. While the K - 8 school model is beneficial academically, it does not encourage students to have new experiences outside of the classroom.
Extracurriculars not only provide new opportunities for middle school students, they hook middle school-ers and may bring students to school who would not otherwise attend. At my school, middle school students have one extracurricular option: the school newsletter. Certainly the school newsletter will not interest all students. The school should be able to field a baseball or lacrosse team and a photography club. There should be 5 - 6 different activities, not one, for a middle school student to choose from. Perhaps the motivation and excitement about school associated with a favorite activity would translate into increased test scores and more confident and hard working people. If we intend to teach our students to be citizens and not test takers, we must find a way to increase access to a variety of opportunities within the middle grades of a K - 8 school.
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3 comments:
Micaela, I agree that there is more to a school than test scores. As you have stated, there is obviously growing evidence that question the effectiveness of middle schools. However, I feel that so much attention is given to grade configurations. I think it is important to take into consideration of other factors, not just grade configuration, when it comes to achievement and determining why middle schools are failing. Even though grade configurations can be statistically significant, they may not be educationally relevant because there are so many other social factors that influence the results related to middle school achievement. I think this relates to your point about the benefits and the need for extra curricular activities in middle schools. Although test scores show that middle schools are not failing, I think it is important to look back to the educational philosophy that middle schools were first introduced-creating a bridge for students by focusing on the specific needs and developmental stages of children.
Micaela, I agree with your sentiment that extracurricular activities are a crucial component of the middle school experience. I think the problem with the K-8 structure is that middle schoolers tend to be treated like elementary school students, which is obviously not captured by test scores. I think that high school achievement data, as measured by standardized tests and analyzed for correlations among middle grades school structure, would shed light onto whether our K-8 schools are preparing students for high school. From an administrative perspective, there is not any incentive to concentrate resources on meeting the developmental needs of middle school students in particular. Middle school students make up less than half of the students at a typical K-8 school, and programs like sports and extracurricular clubs for middles school students exclusively do not make sense. But they are vital. Extracurriculars teach students teamwork, leadership, and coping mechanisms for failure that are crucial for young adolescents. Unless K-8 schools can find a way to address the needs of a middle grades students in a larger context, then perhaps traditional middle schools are needed. It seems as though K-8 were a short-term solution for the larger question of how to meet the developmental needs of middle school students in a school setting. While the K-8 structure provides consistency and eases the transition between fifth and sixth grade, imagine what could happen if we asked ourselves, "What do middle school students need?" Health class, character education, social and team-building activities, physical activity, and self-esteem building would likely make any middle school, be it in a K-8 or a 6-8 school, successful.
I also teach at a pre-k through 8 school and struggle with a similar dilemma. My students do not have the same opportunities presented to them in terms of extracurricular activities because of the size of our school. We have a non-competitive basketball team and a handful of clubs - most of which are populated with much younger students. Few middle school students are invested in after school activities.
While this is clearly a draw back, I do enjoy the small size and sense of community that the schools structure fosters. I think the middle school students feel supported and safe.
But despite these positives, I can't get behind the k-8 model. I feel strongly that middle school students needs the supports outlined in the comments above - and these supports are not logistical realities at small community schools.
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