Middle School Transition and Student Engagement … The Keys to Success

1. Middle School Transition and Student Engagement … The Keys to Success Jim Miles

2. Welcome to the Middle School Mathematics Initiative! It’s All About Math! Institute Theme: Transitioning to Middle School Learner Engagement

3. It’s All About Math! Sponsored by: Florida Department of Education Florida and the Islands Comprehensive Center at ETS (FLICC) In Partnership with: The International Center for Leadership in Education ESCORT Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics PAEC

4. It’s All About Math! Objectives: • Become aware of innovative and practical strategies to use with students who are transitioning from elementary school to middle school • Understand that active engagement during a lesson is a critical component to learner success

5. It’s All About Math! Agenda at a Glance: • Day 1 • Registration, Continental Breakfast • Welcome, Introductions • Jump Start and Icebreaker Activity • Middle School Transitioning • Lunch • Middle School Transitioning (cont.) • Sharing Session • Personalization and Classroom Environment

6. It’s All About Math! Agenda at a Glance: • Day 2 • Breakfast / Jump Start Activity • Samples of Effective Transitioning Programs • Parent / Learner Tips • Learner Engagement • Lunch • Learning Criteria • Action Planning / sharing • Online Directory of Resources • Highlights and Next Steps • Celebration

7. AGENDA • Icebreaker “Making the Connection” • Middle School Transition • Personalization – Classroom Environment • Parent/Learner Tips • Learner Engagement • Learning Criteria – Action Plan • Middle School Math Initiative Resources • Middle School Math Initiative in Review • Celebration and Next Steps

8. Transitions In all transitions we look for • Safety • Information • Connection

9. Safety In all transitions we want to feel • Physically Safe • Emotionally Safe • Secure • Confident of Succeeding

10. Information In all transitions we want to • Gain an Understanding • Know expectations

11. Connections In all transitions we want • To fit in • Someone who can help

12. Many schools succeed at 1 or 2 components few succeed with all 3 components

13. Think about your last transition … what were your concerns?

14. Safety School Focus: • Sealing school campus off from the community

15. Safety Student Issues: • Bullying • Rumors • Harassment • Isolation

16. Safety What is the safety policy on your school campus? What are the safety issues of your incoming middle school students / parents?

17. Safety Describe how safety is achieved at your school? Does your safety policy address student concerns?

18. Safety When students feel unsafe at school they need • Somewhere to go • Someone to talk with • Resources on campus to cope

19. Safety Which poses the greatest threat at your school? • Negative forces within the school, or • Outside violence

20. Information Successful transitions explain • What • Where • How • When

21. Information How do your students learn the • What • Where • How • When at your school?

22. Information Schools provide information • In large assemblies • Newsletters, bulletin boards, Web sites • These methods talk at students/ parents rather than with them

23. Information Assemblies, bulletin boards, newsletters, Web sites are: • Most effective for administrators • Least effective for students and parents

24. Information Students and parents need • Accurate information • Timely information Information needs to reach and be understood by each student and parent

25. Information Can we have a conversation with each student and parentto disseminate accurate and timely information? How?

26. 10% 20% 30% 50% 60% 80% 95% of what we read of what we hear of what we see of what we see & hear of what we discuss with others of what we personally experience of what we TEACH to someone else We learn...

27. Connections In all transitions we want • To belong (to fit in) • Someone for support /help • What other connections do we need in transitions?

28. Connections In all transitions we want • To fit in • Someone to turn to

29. Connections Think about your first teaching assignment … what connections did you need?

30. Connections Think about the first day of school this year … what connections did you make with new students at your school?

31. Elementary Principal Says • 5th Graders Social • 5th Grade Celebration • 6th grade Ambassadors • Opening Day for 6th Graders Only • Middle School is Unique • Appropriate for Them • Not Preparation for High School

32. Middle School Students Say • More Work • The A-B-C’s • The Big Lock-Up • Library Heaven • Class / Day Schedules • Bye Bye Recess • Extra-Curriculars

33. knowledge application • CAREER • DEVELOPMENT • Self-knowledge • Who am I? • Career exploration • Where am I going? • Career Plan • How do I get there? • INTEGRATED • LEARNING • What am I learning? • Why am I learning it? • How can I use it? • UNIVERSAL • FOUNDATION SKILLS • (SCANS) • What do I need to know? • What skills are • important for me” Questions students should be able to answer skills

34. Successful Curriculum Reform

35. AGENDA • Personalization – Classroom Environment • Learner Engagement • Parent/Learner Tips • Learning Criteria – Action Plan • Middle School Math Initiative Resources • Middle School Math Initiative in Review • Celebration and Next Steps

36. ICLE Philosophy • Rigor • Relevance • Relationships • All Students

37. ICLE Philosophy • Relationships • Relevance • Rigor • All Students

39. Student Engagement

40. Students are engaged and motivated to learn if lessons include: • Creation of a meaningful product • Opportunities for leadership • Relationships, established through collaborative opportunities • Exploration of content and skills

41. Creation of a Meaningful Product • Personal meaning for learners • Focus is student-centered learning • Task is interdisciplinary - multiple disciplines • Students control their learning

42. Creating a Learning Environment for 21st Century Skills Students working in teamsto experience and explore relevant, real-worldproblems, questions, issues, and challenges; then creating presentations and products to share what they have learned

43. Traditional Learning was Teacher-directed Direct Instruction Knowledge Content Basic Skills Theory Curriculum Individual Classroom Summative Assessed Learning for School

44. Today’s Students are Digital Natives Conventional Speed Twitch Speed Step-by-Step Random Access Linear Processing Parallel Processing Text First Graphics First Work-Oriented Play-Oriented Stand-alone Connected

45. Digital Learners are Engaged by • Multitasking • Multimedia learning • Online social networking • Online information searching • Games, simulations and creative expressions

46. A Project Learning Classroom is Teacher-directed Direct Instruction Knowledge Content Basic Skills Theory Curriculum Individual Classroom Summative Assessed Learning for School Student-directed Collaborative Construction Skills Process Higher-order Thinking Practice Life Skills Group Community Formative Evaluation Learning for Life A Better Balance

47. Project Learning is Skill-Based To learn collaboration –work in teams To learn critical thinking – take on complex problems To learn oral communications – Present To learn written communications – Write

48. Project Learning is Skill-Based To learn technology – Use technology To develop citizenship – Take on civic and global issues To learn about careers – do internships To learn content – Research and do all of the above

49. Students Develop Needed Skills in • Information Searching & Researching • Critical Analysis • Summarizing and Synthesizing • Inquiry, Questioning and Exploratory Investigations • Design and Problem-solving

50. Opportunities for Leadership Engaging cooperative learning projects • Leadership skills • Problem-solving / decision-making skills • Appropriate social behaviors • Responsible for own learning • Help their peers