Teaching in the Middle School (with MyEducationLab) (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Lee Manning (Author), Katherine T. Bucher (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0138143722 | ISBN-13: 978-0138143725 | Publication Date: April 20, 2008 | Edition: 3

This text for middle school classroom teachers provides a solid core of essential knowledge about middle schools.  Balancing the practical and the theoretical, it has a strong research base, as well as a focus on teaching methods, strategies, materials, resources, and technology that are linked to the standards of the National Middle School Association.  The author’s objectives are to tell readers about middle schools today, describe adolescents and their developmental period, identify essential middle school concepts that have potential for their age group and educational experiences that are developmentally responsive for young adolescents.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Preface

There is more support for change in education now than at any other time in my memory . . . . A number of trends . . . will indeed bring about the kind of fundamental change that has long been needed. If we do not assume the initiative, however, the gains we have made and the supportive climate are likely to fade, and several more decades would pass before another time as ripe for reform would come along (John H. Lounsbury).

This statement was made, during an interview, by John H. Lounsbury (Manning, 1997), one of the founding fathers of the middle school movement. As Lounsbury indicated, the events of the past 10 to 15 years have placed major emphasis on understanding young adolescents and implementing effective middle school practices. Several state departments of education, the Children's Defense Fund, the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, the National Middle School Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the Association for Childhood Education International have led the way. The result has been the increasing acceptance of middle schools, the increasing knowledge about young adolescents and their developmental period, and the increasing recognition that middle school teaching methods need to be developmentally responsive. This does not mean that the battle for acceptance of the middle school concept is over. Rather, it means that middle school educators need to take advantage of the momentum and to continue to implement genuine reforms in middle school education.

Our challenge in writing this book was to find a way to take all of the information about young adolescents and middle schools and translate it into a 12-chapter book. We also wanted to balance the practical and the theoretical, for it is our belief that a mixture of the two is necessary. Thus, in this book, we wanted to provide both preservice and in-service teachers with basic information about young adolescents, ages 10 to 14. We also wanted to provide a solid core of essential knowledge about middle schools, including information about young adolescent development, middle school organization, core and exploratory curricula, middle school instructional strategies, and essential middle school concepts. Our aim was to emphasize young adolescents' diversity (developmental, cultural, and gender) and the importance of these differences reflected in educational experiences and guidance efforts. In determining "what effective middle schools and teachers do," we used respected documents such as This We Believe (the official position paper of the National Middle School Association, 1995), Great Transitions: Preparing Adolescents for a New Century (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1996), and Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989). Last, we wanted a strong research base, and a focus on teaching methods, strategies, materials, resources, and technology.

This book is the result of our work. It is our hope that through our scenarios, case studies, and anecdotes, we have captured the practical essence of young adolescents and middle schools. We also hope that our narrative, explanations of research, references, and recommended readings present both the philosophical and the pedagogical foundations of middle school education. RATIONALE FOR TEACHING IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

As we wrote Teaching in the Middle School, our overarching goal (albeit lofty, we admit) was to improve the lives and educational experiences of young adolescents. Reflecting this, our specific objectives were to (1) tell readers about middle schools today—what they are and what they can become; (2) describe young adolescents and their developmental period; (3) identify essential middle school concepts that have potential for this age group; and (4) identify educational experiences that are developmentally responsive for young adolescents.

We are realistic enough to know that even if we are able to achieve our objectives, this book alone will not be sufficient to change middle schools. We believe that classroom teachers will be the key reformers of middle school education and that the ultimate success of middle school reforms will depend upon these teachers—people whom we highly respect and who work daily to improve the lives and educational experiences of young adolescents. Thus, we wrote this book with middle school classroom teachers in mind. ORGANIZATION OF THIS BOOK

This book is divided into the following four parts:

Part I: Understanding Middle Schools and Young Adolescents Chapters 1, 2 Part II: Developing the Curriculum and Organizing the School Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6 Part III: Planning, Implementing, and Assessing Instruction Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10 Part IV: Guiding Students and Working with External Communities Chapters 11, 12, Epilogue

Chapter 1 looks at middle schools today and provides an overview of middle school concepts and teaching, while chapter 2 examines young adolescents, their development, and related issues. Chapters 3 and 4, respectively, examine the core curriculum and the integrated and exploratory curriculum. Organization of middle schools and young adolescents in classes is the topic of chapter 5. In chapter 6, we explore positive middle school environments and effective classroom management procedures. Planning and implementing instruction are the topics of chapters 7 and 8. Looking at research on effective teaching from a middle school perspectives, chapter 9 explains teaching behaviors that we think will be most effective with young adolescents. Assessment, a timely and somewhat controversial topic, is the focus of chapter 10. Chapter 11 explores ways both teachers and professionally trained guidance counselors can provide all young adolescents with developmentally responsive guidance experiences. The final chapter, chapter 12, examines the relationships between schools and communities and suggests ways to involve parents in middle schools. Last, the Epilogue presents some challenges and possibilities for middle schools and suggests what they might become when teachers are committed to young adolescents and effective middle school practices. SPECIAL FEATURES AND PEDAGOGICAL AIDS

As you read this book, we want you to be able to visualize what happens in real middle schools. While we wanted to be practical, we also wanted to include pertinent research and we wanted a book that will be up-to-date. To do all of that, we have included several special features that we think will help you understand the realities of teaching in a middle school.

Diversity Perspectives In this feature we use examples to reflect our nation's cultural diversity and our increasing recognition of gender differences. Thus, each Diversity Perspective looks at a particular topic that is actually discussed in the chapter and considers how middle school educators can be cultural- and gender-responsive.

Theory into Practice (TIP) Our students always want to know about the "real world." While researchers often offer perceptive findings, we find that they do not always explain how to implement them. TIP takes concepts found in each chapter and provides practical classroom or school examples, indicates how to use research findings in a school setting, or offers a checklist for evaluating the existence of a concept in a middle school. Each TIP has at least one reference that we used to develop it.

Anecdotal Accounts In our many years of teaching and working with middle schools, we have had a variety of experiences and accumulated a number of stories. While we have changed the names of the participants, we have tried to integrate these stories throughout the text. We wanted you to feel that you were looking over our shoulders and listening to actual middle school teachers, middle school students, college students, and parents.

Chapter Objectives To provide an overview and to help focus your reading, we have provided objectives at the beginning of each chapter. You can also use this advance organizer or outline as a study or review guide.

Scenarios Each chapter starts with a scenario that prepares you for the topics that will be discussed. In the scenario, we try to describe "real-life" conversations and events that middle school educators might encounter and to pose problems that often arise. Try reacting to the scenario before you read the chapter and then revisiting it when you finish the chapter.

Case Studies In each chapter, a case study examines the topics being discussed and shows how middle school teachers responded. Sometimes these case studies are a continuation of the situation found in the opening scenario. Other times, they present a new problem. As you read them, consider how you might react to the situation and whether you agree with the responses found in the case study.

Keeping Current with Technology We are constantly adding to our knowledge of middle schools, and it is impossible to put everything into one book. With our technology feature, you can use the resources of the Internet to access additional information related specifically to the topics discussed in each chapter. Additional resources can be found at the Companion Website at prenhall/manning.

Glossary Specialized terms related to young adolescent development, middle school concepts, and the education profession in general can be somewhat confusing. Therefore, a glossary is included at the end of this book. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Any project of this magnitude calls for our sincere appreciation being offered to a number of people. First, we want to thank Richard Overbaugh of Old Dominion University for taking the photographs used in the text. We appreciate his donating his time and providing his photographic expertise. Also, for their helpfulness and advance planning for the photograph sessions, we want to thank Dr. Edith Eidson, principal at Corporate Landing Middle School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and her staff: Dr. Ward, sixth-grade principal; Mr. Thomas, seventh-grade principal; Mr. Disharoon, eighth-grade principal; Mr. Anglin, student activities coordinator; and Ms. Mitchell, library media specialist.

Second, we want to offer our appreciation to Debbie Stollenwerk at Prentice Hall for her patience and encouragement, as well as to Penny Burleson for her help, for her prompt handling of the reviews, and for keeping us "on track." Last, we are particularly grateful to the following individuals who reviewed the book and offered numerous constructive suggestions:

Elaine Chakonas, Dominican University
Tom Erb, University of Kansas
Linda Carol Gabbard, Eastern Kentucky University
Fred H. Groves, Northeast Louisiana University
Michael A. James, Wichita State University
Karen Kusiak, Colby College
Ann Lockledge, University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Sara Delano Moore, University of Kentucky
Connie H. Nobles, Southeastern Louisiana University
Michael Perl, Kansas State University
Linda Schlosser, SUNY, Brockport
James E. Watson, Trinity International University

MLM
KTB Old Dominion University --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Teaching in the Middle School

Third Edition

M. Lee Manning and Katherine T. Bucher

 

Teaching in the Middle School, Third Edition, is a must have for all pre-service teachers considering a career in middle school education. This brief text provides the practical content you will need for daily classroom practices and the theory you need to know to support each practice.

 

Explore this text to learn:

• About middle schools today

• About young adolescents and their developmental period
• How to identfiy essential middle school concepts that have potential for this age group
• How to identify educational experiences that are developmentally responsive for young adolescents

 

FEATURES FOR YOUR SUCCESS:

• Guiding Young Adolescents Coverage Moved to Chapter 3. Now immediately following Young Adolescents–Development and Issues (Chapter 2), information on guiding middle school students is presented closer to information about problems and challenges related to the development of young adolescents.
• MyEducationLab. MyEducationLab.com is a research-based learning tool that brings teaching to life. Watch authentic video footage and see real teachers in action. Read about case studies to learn about the realities of teaching as well as the valuable perspectives on common issues and challenges in education today. Additionally, view and analyze over 200 student and teacher classroom artifacts tied to course topics and framed by learning goals.  In your textbook look for the www.MyEducationLab.com logo in the margins of the text and follow the simple instructions to access . For more information turn to the MEL portion of the preface or go to www.myeducationlab.com .  To order this book WITHOUT MyEducationLab use this ISBN: 9780131584006.  To order this book WITH MyEducationLab use this ISBN: 9780138143725
• Diversity Perspectives. These features look at a chapter related topic and consider how middle school educators can be culturally- and gender-responsive.
• Theory into Practice (TIP). These “tips” provide practical classroom and school examples, indicate how to use research findings in a school setting, and offer a checklist for evaluating the existance of a concept in a middle school.
• Scenarios. Each chapter begins with “real-life” conversations, events, and problems facing middle school educators that prepare you for the topics discussed in the chapter.
• Case Studies. Each case examines a chapter topic and shows how middle school teachers responded, then gives you an opportunity to consider and respond.
• Keeping Current With Technology. Use Internet resources to access additional information related specifically to the topics in each chapter.
• Developing Your Portfolio. Use these suggestions to include evidence in your portfolio that reflect how you meet the National Middle School Association performance standards.
• References, Internet Sites, and Suggested Readings. These updated items provide you with the most current information available.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 3 edition (April 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0138143722
• ISBN-13: 978-0138143725
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #470,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre., February 5, 2011

By 

James Yanni (Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching in the Middle School (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

This book is not terrible, but it does not do a particularly good job of explaining what a middle-school teacher needs to know in order to "provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences". There is a lot of jargon, as that quote might indicate, but very little explanation of what that jargon actually means and how it would be implemented. Nor is there a solid defense of some of the claims made in the book, other than to say "research indicates this", and occasionally (frequently?) to cite said research. But I still have some serious questions that have not been adequately addressed:

Yes, having every teacher not just available but "actively seeking to help middle-school students with guidance and advocacy" sounds marvellous, but is it realistic? If there is a teacher who is excellent at conveying curriculum but who does not have a personality that is necessarily effective in the role of advocate, is it really wise to pass them by because they don't fit the "middle school concept" that we're looking for? Is it reasonable to say that curriculam, while important, is not the most important aspect of a school (at any level)? This book makes both of these claims, the first indirectly, the second in so many words. In some subjects, it might be true that understanding concepts and learning to think are more important than the actual subject matter; in others (Mathematics, notably) one MUST master the subject matter, or one will not be able to use that subject matter. Granted, in order to use it effectively, one must then learn to understand the concepts and to think. But if one doesn't have a mastery of the basics, one is NOT going to be able to handle the next level class. And one does students a disservice by attempting to teach them subject matter that they are inadequately prepared for; sometimes, that's what is meant, in the real world, by "acknowledging the diverse needs of your students". Students who cannot perform 4th grade calculations consistently cannot be expected to thrive in a study of Algebra.

There are good concepts here, but I believe that the authors are too married to the current popular beliefs about middle school education to recognize that in some regards, a more traditional approach is, occasionally, what is needed.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Teaching in the Middle School, September 18, 2010

By 

Judy Bosworth (Spring, TX, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching in the Middle School (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

Used as a textbook. decent enough, but not worth keeping. not much unique information to refer to later. resold as soon as class ended.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars wrong book and no help, April 8, 2010

By 

C. Moffis "C.moffis" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching in the Middle School (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

They sent me the wrong book twice and the edition I needed and paid for they did not have, which led them to give me an edition that was torn up and not the one needed. When I wanted my money back they would not contact me, so I would not use them again or ever.