Speaking with One Voice: A Manifesto for Middle-Grades Reform.

摘要: I. Who Are We, Why We Writing This, and for Whom? Consider this: A middle school in the poorest section of its city is affected by local plant closings. The proportion students qualifying free or reduced-price lunches rises from 46.5% 1987 to 61.9% 1992. At same time, average daily attendance rate standardized test scores steadily improve, while expulsions, suspensions, incidents violence, racial tension diminish. And school's percentage low-income over a four-year period 25% 29%, reading increase median 48.8 54.6. These two middle-grades schools are not anomalies. Their concrete experiences academic behavioral growth isolated events. If they were, we would write this call action. speak with one voice, grounded our collective experience buttressed compelling research data that demonstrate such results attainable. In fact, believe it moral imperative all systems achieve similar results. optimistically perspectives four private foundations support initiatives 19 states more than 600 schools. Our convinces us sustainable middle-level reform achievable. have seen become caring challenging communities learners dint deep commitment hard work. know many can reach level mastery, emerging evidence about conditions necessary their success. document going talk grade reorganization, because what makes difference happens grades, no matter how configured. describe processes, as forming houses, teams, teacher-student advisement. also spend time saying who young adolescents why important, subject has been amply argued established. Rather, address educators, parents, policy makers, other funders embrace vulnerability promise early adolescent age group excitement exhaustion working it. people slogans, mastered rhetoric reform, put energy, thought into improving - words, concerned effort want intentional next steps. hope manifesto will serve source energy inspiration taking those steps create high-performance foster students' achievement healthy development. II. What Goals Of Middle-Grades Reform? witnessed important changes attest capacity self-reform. goals so far? High-performing 1) developmentally responsive, 2) academically excellent, 3) socially equitable. primary improvement must be establish sustain high-performing norm, exception. 1. responsive. They act on knowledge imperatives development too denied. adapt practices knowledge. As result districts' efforts, pervasive "climate." Many warmer, happier, peaceful places both adults, exhibit greater levels mutual respect thoughtfulness. Because educators grown familiar characteristics adolescents' social, emotional, physical development, set place structural (houses, advisories) small, consistent learning personalized environment. …