This article examines and compares teachers in a national sample of middle level schools to those in a selected group of highly successful middle level schools. The context within which they work, their preparation, their level of implementation of middle level best practices, and their involvement as teacher leaders are discussed. Results show some similarities, as well as some distinct and important differences in the two sets of teachers. Recommendations are made for teacher preparation programs as well as inservice professional development programs which can increase teacher effectiveness and are consistent with the expectations of No Child Left Behind.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arhar, J. M. (2003). No Child Left Behind and middle level education: A look at research, policy, and practice. Middle School Journal, 34(5), 46-51.
2.
Barth, R. S. (1990). Improving schools from within. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
3.
Beane, J. A. (1990). A middle school curriculum: From rhetoric to reality. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association.
4.
Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (CCAD). (1989). Turning points: Preparing American youth for the 21st century. Washington, DC: Author.
5.
Chance, P. L., & Chance, E. W. (2002). Educational leadership and organizational behavior: Theory into practice. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
6.
Clark, S. N., & Clark, D. C. (2002). Collaborative decision making: A promising but underused strategy for middle school improvement. Middle School Journal, 33(4), 52-57.
7.
Columbia Group Survey. (2002). Status of the American public school teacher, 1995-96. Retrieved June 1, 2002, from www.columbiagroup.org/teacher_gender_composition.html
8.
Dickinson, T. S., & Butler, D. (2001). Reinventing the middle school. Middle School Journal, 33(1), 7-13.
9.
Dickinson, T. S., & McEwin, C. K. (2002). The professional development of middle level teachers. Retrieved April 2, 2002, from www.middleweb.com/mstchtrng.html
10.
Educational Research Service. (2003). K-12 principals guide to No Child Left Behind. Arlington, VA: Author.
11.
Flowers, N., Mertens, S. B., & Mulhall, P. F. (2002). Four important lessons about teachers professional development. Middle School journal, 33(5), 57-61.
12.
Frymier, J. (1987). Bureaucracy and the neutering of teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 69, 9-14.
13.
Gaskill, P. E. (2002). Progress in the certification of middle level personnel. Middle School Journal, 33(5), 33-40.
14.
Haycock, K. (1998). Good teaching matters a lot. Thinking K-16, 3(2), Washington DC: The Education Trust.
15.
Ingersoll, R. M. (2002). The teacher shortage: A case of wrong diagnosis and wrong prescription. NASSP Bulletin, 86(361), 16-31.
16.
Jackson, A. W., & Davis, G. A. (2000). Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in the 21st century. New York: Teachers College Press.
17.
Lortie, D. C. (1975). Schoolteacher. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
18.
McEwin, C. K., Dickinson, T. S., Erb, T. O., & Scales, P. C. (1995). A vision of excellence: Organizing principles for middle grades teacher preparation. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association.
19.
National Association of Secondary School Principals. (1985). An agenda for excellence at the middle level. Reston, VA: Author.
20.
National Middle School Association. (2002). National Middle School Association's position statement on professional preparation of middle level teachers. Columbus, OH: Author. Retrieved March 28, 2002, from www.nmsa.org/news/middlelevelteachers.htm
21.
National Middle School Association. (2001). This we believe: And now we must act. Columbus, OH: Author.
22.
National Middle School Association. (1999). Position statement on professional preparation of middle level teachers. Columbus, OH: Author.
23.
National Middle School Association. (1995). This we believe: Developmentally responsive middle level schools. Columbus, OH:Author.
24.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (H.R. 1), 107 Cong., 110 (2002) (enacted).
25.
Sanders, W. I., & Rivers,J. C. (1998). Cumulative and residual effects of teachers on future students academic achievement. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee.
26.
Slavin, R. E. (1995). Detracking and its detractors: Flawed evidence, flawed values. Phi Delta Kappan, 77, 220-221.
27.
Petzko, V. N., & Scearcy, L. (2001). The recruitment of aspiring principals: A two-year follow-up study. Connections: Journal of Principal Preparation and Development, 3, 8-14.
28.
Toepfer, C. F., Jr. (1992). Middle level curriculum: Defining the elusive. In J. L. Irvin (Ed.), Transforming middle level education: Perspectives and possibilities (pp. 205-243). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
29.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Office of Policy Planning and Innovation. (2002). Meeting the teacher quality challenge: The secretary's annual report on teacher quality. Washington DC: Author. Retrieved May 1, 2002, from www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/News/teacherprep/index.html
30.
Valentine,J. W., Clark, D. C., Hackmann, D. G., & Petzko, V. N. (in press). A national study of leadership in middle level schools, Volume II: A national study of highly successful leaders and schools. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
31.
Valentine,J. W., Clark, D. C., Hackmann, D. G., & Petzko, V. N. (2002). A national study of leadership in middle level schools, Volume I: A national study of middle level leaders and school programs. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
32.
Valentine,J. W., Clark, D. C., Irvin,J. L., Keefe,J. W., & Melton, G. (1993). Leadership in middle level education, Volume I: A national survey of middle level leaders in schools. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
33.
Valentine, J. W., & Mogar, D. (1992). Middle level certification: An encouraging evolution. Middle School Journal, 24(2), 36-43.
34.
Valentine,J. W., Clark, D. C., Nickerson, N. C., & Keefe,J. W. (1981). The middle level principalship, Volume I: A survey of middle level principals and programs. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
