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In all the middle schools I have taught in over the years I have never worked at one that didn't do some form of team teaching. It is the most common middle school format, and research has shown it is also the most beneficial for middle school students. One of the reasons freshmen academies came into being was that many 9th graders floundered once they lost that safety net.
Some teachers are ridiculous about homework. One reason block scheduling in high school is helpful is it decreases the number of teachers that have the ability to assign homework on any given day.
As you know, but others out of education may not have thought about it, one of the goals of having a team of teachers serving a group of children is that the teachers should be discussing matters such as homework loads. So if one teacher is having a challenging assignment one week, the other teachers on the team might lighten up a bit that week. However, in practice it seemed that the concept was better than the reality of it. Then again, there were teams of teachers who accomplished the goal flawlessly and consistently.
In all the middle schools I have taught in over the years I have never worked at one that didn't do some form of team teaching. It is the most common middle school format, and research has shown it is also the most beneficial for middle school students. One of the reasons freshmen academies came into being was that many 9th graders floundered once they lost that safety net.
So then is perhaps the teaming causing students to not be prepared for high school? Maybe a solution would be to use teams in 6th and 7th grade, but not 8th grade? Again, we didn't have teams when I was in middle school, so I don't have any opinion either way.
As you know, but others out of education may not have thought about it, one of the goals of having a team of teachers serving a group of children is that the teachers should be discussing matters such as homework loads. So if one teacher is having a challenging assignment one week, the other teachers on the team might lighten up a bit that week. However, in practice it seemed that the concept was better than the reality of it. Then again, there were teams of teachers who accomplished the goal flawlessly and consistently.
That could also backfire, since a teacher who wants to "prepare students for the real world" (or for high school or college) can intentionally schedule exams and major assignments at the same time as other teachers on the team.
When I was in middle school, at least in 6th grade (not sure if this policy extended to 7th and 8th grade or not; if so, they made no attempt to enforce it), each department was only allowed 2 days of the week where they could give an exam. They could give quizzes any day of the week. In practice, it was meaningless, since the rules did not define test vs quiz, so a teacher wanting to give an exam (even a midterm) on a day that it was not allowed would just call it a quiz to get around the rules.
That could also backfire, since a teacher who wants to "prepare students for the real world" (or for high school or college) can intentionally schedule exams and major assignments at the same time as other teachers on the team.
When I was in middle school, at least in 6th grade (not sure if this policy extended to 7th and 8th grade or not; if so, they made no attempt to enforce it), each department was only allowed 2 days of the week where they could give an exam. They could give quizzes any day of the week. In practice, it was meaningless, since the rules did not define test vs quiz, so a teacher wanting to give an exam (even a midterm) on a day that it was not allowed would just call it a quiz to get around the rules.
As to your first paragraph, after teaching in middle schools with teaming and administering in them for well over 20 years, I never saw that happen. Anything anywhere is possible, but if that's the way you analyze an issue, then NOTHING ever works.
As to your second paragraph, yes, and that is an issue when you have middle school teachers who either don't believe in teaming but have to participate, or who simply believe that their subject is more important than any other subject, and damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. And I think this goes back to ignoring common sense AND ignoring educational research. (Not to mention fulfilling contractual obligations).
That could also backfire, since a teacher who wants to "prepare students for the real world" (or for high school or college) can intentionally schedule exams and major assignments at the same time as other teachers on the team.
When I was in middle school, at least in 6th grade (not sure if this policy extended to 7th and 8th grade or not; if so, they made no attempt to enforce it), each department was only allowed 2 days of the week where they could give an exam. They could give quizzes any day of the week. In practice, it was meaningless, since the rules did not define test vs quiz, so a teacher wanting to give an exam (even a midterm) on a day that it was not allowed would just call it a quiz to get around the rules.
My older daughter had a pair of teachers team-teaching 8th grade Language Arts and Social Studies, and brother-in-law/sister-in-law as well, who did stuff like that. They are the ones who gave a big, group assignment over Memorial Day weekend. This affected three families' plans. Their mantra was "prepare for high school", when in reality, nothing like that happened in HS. Even in college, something like that would be rare.
How exactly did college prepare you for a career? A college schedule is nothing at all like a real world work schedule. A college schedule has far more flexibility and free time than a work schedule typically has. Also, college is far more intellectually stimulating than the real world is. The only careers that are even remotely similar to college is an academic career.
Schedule? That's how you are comparing them? To answer, I have used something from every course I had at one time or another in my career. Subject matter knowledge prepared for the subject. I learned to think logically. To formulate questions and how to approach answering them. To collect, collate, and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make predictions. To communicate. It also taught me to be a self starter and how to self initiate new learning. College is about education; training your mind to see and think on a bigger scale. Plus I worked more and longer hours in college than I ever did in the work world.
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Originally Posted by Oldhag1
In all the middle schools I have taught in over the years I have never worked at one that didn't do some form of team teaching. It is the most common middle school format, and research has shown it is also the most beneficial for middle school students. One of the reasons freshmen academies came into being was that many 9th graders floundered once they lost that safety net.
Some teachers are ridiculous about homework. One reason block scheduling in high school is helpful is it decreases the number of teachers that have the ability to assign homework on any given day.
Sorry for any confusion. I was responding to a specific question about the middle school my kids attended. Don't know how other places may have done it. Interestingly our middle school didn't have teams. Ninth grade academy did. And then high school does not.
As to your first paragraph, after teaching in middle schools with teaming and administering in them for well over 20 years, I never saw that happen. Anything anywhere is possible, but if that's the way you analyze an issue, then NOTHING ever works.
As to your second paragraph, yes, and that is an issue when you have middle school teachers who either don't believe in teaming but have to participate, or who simply believe that their subject is more important than any other subject, and damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. And I think this goes back to ignoring common sense AND ignoring educational research. (Not to mention fulfilling contractual obligations).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt
My older daughter had a pair of teachers team-teaching 8th grade Language Arts and Social Studies, and brother-in-law/sister-in-law as well, who did stuff like that. They are the ones who gave a big, group assignment over Memorial Day weekend. This affected three families' plans. Their mantra was "prepare for high school", when in reality, nothing like that happened in HS. Even in college, something like that would be rare.
In general, people who are in positions of authority will find ways against rules that they don't agree with.
It is a major factor, since two of the hardest parts of the real world (unlike college) are having very little free time, and being forced onto a morning person's schedule.
Quote:
To answer, I have used something from every course I had at one time or another in my career. Subject matter knowledge prepared for the subject. I learned to think logically. To formulate questions and how to approach answering them. To collect, collate, and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make predictions. To communicate. It also taught me to be a self starter and how to self initiate new learning.
I didn't learn any of that in college.
Quote:
College is about education; training your mind to see and think on a bigger scale. Plus I worked more and longer hours in college than I ever did in the work world.
Again, my experience was the opposite: I had a lot of free time in college, but very little free time in the real world.
How exactly did college prepare you for a career? A college schedule is nothing at all like a real world work schedule. A college schedule has far more flexibility and free time than a work schedule typically has. Also, college is far more intellectually stimulating than the real world is. The only careers that are even remotely similar to college is an academic career.
I sooo agree with this. It's like culture shock when you have to start working. Other than homework and projects, college was so free. You just sit there, listen, and take notes. Working? Try doing the same thing and see if you still have a job.
Every major that ends up working in an office should require students to get experience working in an office before graduating to see what it's like.
I sooo agree with this. It's like culture shock when you have to start working. Other than homework and projects, college was so free. You just sit there, listen, and take notes. Working? Try doing the same thing and see if you still have a job.
Every major that ends up working in an office should require students to get experience working in an office before graduating to see what it's like.
Odd. I had to partially work my way through college. Weekends, and summer working stocking shelves in a grocery store.
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