Middle School Philosophy Statement Assignment

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It is expected that you create a Middle School Philosophy of Teaching statement prior to graduation. This statement identifies what you have learned about Middle Level education, as well as what you aim to achieve with your future students. Reflect on personal experiences and content learned in your coursework to articulate your philosophy of being a Middle School educator. Keep in mind that this will be a springboard for future interviews, as interviewers often ask what your goals and aspirations are as a teacher. You may choose to write your statement acknowledging the three headings of the 16 Characteristics of Successful Schools for Young Adolescents. Or, it can be prepared as a five paragraph essay that targets the critical points of teaching.

The 16 Characteristics of Successful Schools for Young Adolescents are:

· Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

• Educators value young adolescents and are prepared to teach them.

• Students and teachers are engaged in active, purposeful learning.

• Curriculum is challenging, exploratory, integrative, and relevant.

• Educators use multiple learning and teaching approaches.

• Varied and ongoing assessments advance learning as well as measure it.

• Leadership and Organization

• A shared vision developed by all stakeholders guides every decision.

• Leaders are committed to and knowledgeable about this age group, educational research, and best practices.

• Leaders demonstrate courage and collaboration.

• Ongoing professional development reflects best education practices.

• Organizational structures foster purposeful learning and meaningful relationships.

• Culture and Community

• The school environment is inviting, safe, inclusive, and supportive of all.

• Every student’s academic and personal development is guided by an adult advocate.

• Comprehensive guidance and support services meet the needs of young adolescents.

• Health and wellness are supported in curricula, school-wide programs, and related policies. • The school actively involves families in the education of their children.

• The school includes community and business partners.

As you write your philosophy, address the items listed below. Provide supporting documentation that you have addressed each area by citing evidence from your TWS that clearly shows your competency in each area.

1. Young Adolescent Development

o How does young adolescent development impact your instructional decisions?

2. Middle Level Curriculum

o What do you need to know in order to effectively implement your curriculum?

3. Middle Level Philosophy and School Organization

o How will you engage middle school philosophy and school organization in your role as an educator?

4. Middle Level Instruction and Assessment

o How will you evaluate what your students know, and meet the learning needs in your classroom?

5. Middle Level Professional Roles

o What is your role as a teacher? What practices and behaviors do you need to exhibit in order to work successfully with others? Middle School Teaching Philosophy Scoring Guide

UNACCEPTABLE (1) ACCEPTABLE (2) TARGET (3)

Middle level candidates fail to show Middle level candidates demonstrate a Middle level candidates demonstrate a acceptable levels of knowledge of the knowledge of the concepts, principles, comprehensive knowledge of the concepts, concepts, principles, theories and research theories and research about young principles, theories and research about young about young adolescent development. They adolescent development. They use this adolescent development. They use this fail to provide all young adolescents with knowledge to provide all young adolescents knowledge to provide all young adolescents learning opportunities that are with learning opportunities that are with learning opportunities that are developmentally responsive, socially developmentally responsive, socially developmentally responsive, socially equitable, equitable, and academically rigorous. equitable, and academically rigorous. and academically rigorous. (S1.K.1)

Middle level candidates fail to show Middle level candidates demonstrate Middle level candidates demonstrate acceptable levels of understanding of the understanding of the concepts, principles, comprehensive understanding of the concepts, concepts, principles, theories, and research theories, and research underlying the principles, theories, and research underlying the underlying the philosophical and historical philosophical and historical foundations of philosophical and historical foundations of foundations of developmentally responsive developmentally responsive middle level developmentally responsive middle level middle level programs and schools. (S2.K1) programs and schools. programs and schools.

Middle level candidates do not possess the Middle level candidates articulate and Middle level candidates effectively articulate foundational knowledge to articulate and implement developmentally responsive and implement developmentally responsive implement developmentally responsive practices, such as, teaming, advisory, extra- practices, such as, teaming, advisory, extra- practices, such as, teaming, advisory, extra- curricular, and service learning. They curricular, and service learning. They curricular, and service learning. They do not understand the reasons these practices work understand the reasons these practices work to understand the reasons these practices foster to foster adolescent development foster adolescent development academically, adolescent development academically, academically, socially, emotionally, and socially, emotionally, and physically and make socially, emotionally, and physically and fail physically and make instructional decisions instructional decisions based on these reasons. to make instructional decisions based on these based on these reasons. reasons. (S2.D.2)

Middle level candidates evidence a lack of Middle level candidates are committed to Middle level candidates are committed to dedication to developmentally responsive developmentally responsive organizational developmentally responsive organizational organizational structures that foster socially structures that foster socially equitable structures that foster socially equitable equitable educational practices. They fail to educational practices. Candidates educational practices. They enthusiastically promote organizational components that implement developmentally responsive promote organizational components that reflect the philosophical foundations of practice and components that reflect the maximize student learning. As they work middle level education and that maximize philosophical foundations of middle level successfully within teams and utilize flexible student learning. (S2.P.4) education. As they work within teams and instructional time, candidates understand the utilize flexible instructional time, candidates significance of their actions on student learning. understand the significance of their actions on student learning.

Middle level candidates are ignorant of how Middle level candidates understand and Middle level candidates understand the diverse family structures and family and value how both diverse family structures relationships between schools and community cultural backgrounds influence and enrich and family and cultural backgrounds organizations and communicate effectively with learning. They are unable to work influence and enrich learning. They work all stakeholders. They comprehend the successfully with parents and community successfully with parents and community challenges that families may encounter in members to improve the education of all members to improve the education of all contemporary society and subsequently use young adolescents. (S6.D.8) young adolescents. available support services and other resources.

Middle level candidates do not value life-long Middle level candidates hold expectations Middle level candidates model life-long learning and are not committed to refining for their own life-long learning and are learning and take a leadership role in refining classroom and school practices that address committed to refining classroom and school classroom and school practices that address the the needs of all young adolescents based on practices that address the needs of all young needs of all young adolescents based on research, successful practice, and experience. adolescents based on research, successful research, successful practice, and experience. S7.D.6) practice, and experience.

Target = (18) Acceptable = (17-12) Unacceptable = (11 and below)