C&I 233.01
Sections 01 & 02
T&W 5:00 – 8:50
Middle Level Education and the Young Adolescent
Instructor: Don Gillan 23 DeGarmo 438-5122
Office Hours:4:00 – 5:00 (before and following class, and by appointment)
Helpful Websites: National Middle School Association:
Teacher Interest Website:
Illinois State Board of Education:
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards:
INTASC standards:
IPTS standards:
Description: This course covers 1) the adolescent including the characteristics of a student in this age range, 2) the organizational structure and provisions provided by the American public education system and the teachers within it for the middle school student, and 3) the role of the teacher in a middle level setting.
Text:Jackson & Davis, Turning Points 2000; Hatch, Morgan & Weilbacher, Crossing Over to the Middle information packet; Purchase syllabus & packet at Rapid Print – basement of Degarmo.
Primary Objectives: a. Students will describe learner characteristics that are unique to young adolescent learners. (NMSA: 2; IPTS: 2; RDI: mv4, iv1)
b. Students will explain the differences between middle school and traditional junior high, as well as the differences between middle school and elementary and
secondary settings. (NMSA: 3,4; IPTS: 1,5; RDI: iv1)
c. Students will trace the development of the modern middle school in the last century. (NMSA: 1 IPTS: 1; RDI: iv1)
d. Students will describe key components of the middle school including flexible scheduling, planning with colleagues in interdisciplinary teams, various grouping
arrangements, teacher-based advisory programs and exploratory programs. (NMSA: 4,5; IPTS: 1; RDI: iv1)
e. Students will describe appropriate assessment strategies for the young adolescent student. (NMSA: 5; IPTS: 8; RDI: iv1)
f. Students will discuss issues that impact upon effective middle school curriculum and instruction. (NMSA: 3; IPTS:10; RDI: iv2,iv3)
Tentative Schedule
C&I 233.01 Spring 2005
Jan. 18,19 / Course Introduction, Requirements, Project Information,Components of an EffectiveMiddle School Overview,
Illinois State Learning Standards, Websites, Groups developed Turning Points 2000Preface and Foreword groups meet
Jan. 25,26 / Middle School Philosophy-Definition, History, Rationale
Curriculum, Assessment, Instruction, Elements of Middle Schools,
Differences between junior high, elementary, and secondary school
Group Work, TP 2000 Chapters 1 & 2 WB 61-67
Feb. 1,2 / Group Work, Curriculum, Assessment, WB 47-52, 58, 72-73, 84-85
Components of EffectiveMiddle Schools, TP 2000 Chapters 3 & 4
Feb. 8,9 / Professional Development, Chapter 5 TP 2000
Teaming & Advisory, Chapter 6 TP 2000, WB 99-109 112-123, Group Work
NMSA Website Project due
Feb. 15,16 / Democratic Governance, Chapter 7 TP 2000
Group Work
Feb. 22,23 / Clinicals
Mar. 1,2 / Clinicals
Mar. 8,9 / Clinicals
Mar.15,16 / Spring Break
Mar. 22,23 / Rough Draft of Newsletter Due (Hard Copy)
Involving Parents and Community, TP 2000 Chapter 9, WB 126,127
Group Work; Research Presentations Begin
Mar. 29,30 / Developmental Characteristics of Young Adolescents -
Physical characteristics, Psycho-Social characteristics, WB 6-26
Research Presentations, Group Work
April 5,6 / Developmental Characteristics Cont. --Cognitive characteristics, WB 33-40
Group Work
Research Presentations
April 12,13 / Safety/Health Issues, TP 2000 Chapter 8; Notebooks Due
Research Presentations, Newsletters Back/Feedback, Group Work
April 19,20 / Research Presentations
Newsletter projects due on livetext; Turn in Final Draft
April 26,27 / The Future of the Middle School Concept, TP 2000 Chapter 10
Syllabus for exam distributed,
May 3,4 / Review for Exam, Notebooks Due, Final Exam
May 10,11 / Grade Summary Sessionat time of scheduled final exam
Course Requirements
*Newsletter (Group Project) 150 Points
ITPS # 8 Desktop Publishing Project 25 Points
Ten Quizzes100 Points
Notebook Responses (individual) 25Points
Research Project (Individual) 25 Points
Website Project (Individual) 25 Points
Final Exam 125 Points
Participation in activities/discussions 25 Points
*Working in groups of approximately four students, each team will design a newsletter. This newsletter should look similar to one that has been created by a middle school team that is sending it to parents in a district that is transitioning from junior high to middle school. Components of middle school philosophy must be included in the newsletter, indicating students’ understanding of the middle school concept.
More information about these requirements will be given in class. Some students will also be fulfilling the ITPS Competency #8 requirement on a pass/fail basis using the newsletter project to do so.
The grading scale will be as follows: 500 points possible
93% A 465-500
85% B425-464
77% C385-424
69%D345-384
below 69% F0-344
This scale is firm and grades will not be rounded up. There will be no opportunity for extra credit. It is your responsibility to keep track of your grades.
Attendance Regular, punctual attendance is required for this class. If you are not here you cannot participate. If you need to be absent (emergency), please let me know ASAP. Complete professional work on time.
Project Completion All assignments for this course must be completed satisfactorily in order to obtain credit for the course. The actual grade you receive is dependent upon the quality of work completed for the respective assignments; however, you must pass each assignment to pass the course including the livetext requirements of ITPS # 8 Desktop Publishing and The Newsletter Project. An incomplete or failed grade on a major assignment will not just be averaged in with the remainder of your grades; it will prevent you from passing this course. (Students will receive a grade of “F” for the course if all course assignments have not been fulfilled.)