9 Proven Ways to Get Kids to Succeed in and Love Middle School

By Betsy Langer (Middle School history)

中学生家长知道，期望他们的六年级学生坐着不动是不现实的, stay quiet and focused, and listen to a teacher for 50 minutes. 在Waynflete, bet365官网知道中学生需要一种特殊的教室——一种基于现实学术的教室, 社会, and behavioral expectations about where they are developmentally. They also need teachers who love teaching kids their age, who find ways to manage a classroom without saying “shush,教授帮助学生组织作业的基本技能, their thinking, and mostly importantly, 自己.

这里有一些基本的课堂技巧和技能的例子，可以帮助孩子在被称为中学的成人仪式中茁壮成长:

1. Student Engagement: the best way to get kids’ attention

在Waynflete, 中学已经从“初中模式”演变为一种奖励学生活力的模式, 订婚, and active participation, rather than good behavior. 通过一次真正的考古发掘，学生们进入了中学生活, 在那里他们亲自动手，bet365官网艰苦的历史检测方法. 他们乘坐虚拟游轮沿尼罗河而上，在“鳄鱼咖啡馆”停留，并检查来自真实考古遗址的在线数据. bet365官网的教室里经常有嗡嗡声——学生们对bet365官网感到兴奋的声音.

2. Getting Everyone Involved—By Design

一个班级取决于集体的能量、创造力和智慧. bet365官网将教室布置在小隔间的课桌上，学生们可以很容易地小组合作，互相回应，也可以回应老师. Because all students are expected to participate, we build opportunities into each class to help quiet, 沉默寡言, or anxious students succeed. Smaller class sizes combined with cozy classrooms—some with fireplaces, 地毯, 沙发——让学生更容易举手或站在教室前面说话. bet365官网希望所有的八年级学生在被要求领导班级的情况下都能感到舒适, participate in a debate, or discuss content.

3. Collaboration Versus Group Work

在Waynflete，学生们看到了单纯的小组工作和真正的合作之间的区别. 他们学会了如何贡献——而不是做一个包揽所有工作的人(或者坐在一旁让别人去做)。. bet365官网为中学生提供在所有内容领域进行协作的机会. 例如，学生们就解决数学问题的最佳方法进行头脑风暴. They also work in large groups to collect specimens from a nearby pond, 然后分别检查和鉴定他们通过显微镜观察到的东西. 合作是引导普通中学生自然闲聊的好方法, and it’s a valuable skill in the workplace.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Boring: tools for organization

Waynflete educators love teaching the fun stuff, 但他们并没有忽视对这个年龄段的bet365官网和发展成长至关重要的传统技能, 绑定, and their modern equivalent, 谷歌应用程序. 一位作者将每周计划描述为帮助中学生驾驭世界的“雷达”. Organization can be a real challenge for this age group. 这就是为什么在Waynflete，每天的上课都是从班主任帮助六年级学生整理课堂笔记开始的, 施舍, and homework papers in three-ring 绑定.

研究表明，组织和良好的习惯可以减轻学生的压力，提高他们的bet365官网准备. We devote time in each class to developing good work habits. Students fill in nightly homework assignments, write or set 自己 reminders about specific deadlines, and fill in a monthly calendar for long-term assignments. 六年级的学生bet365官网和练习这些技能，然后在七年级的时候完善它们. By eighth grade, they are using these skills without supervision.

5. Note Taking: organizing the evidence

在阅读文本或参与讨论时记录信息是一项基本的组织能力. 记笔记的行为不仅加深了学生对所学内容的理解，还使他们能够用它来形成论点，并在课堂讨论中支持他们. 在Waynflete, we teach the linear note-taking method, 学生被要求识别和“拼凑”关键词和思想. 他们在历史课和拉丁语课上练习这种形式，并很快了解到科学实验室所要求的形式实际上是另一种形式的线性笔记.

Working from this solid foundation, 学生bet365官网如何写主题句和五句说明性段落，最终形成一篇带有论文的研究论文, supporting points, and convincing evidence.

6. Memorization and Recall

吸收、编目和检索信息是掌握材料的必要条件. 在Waynflete, we discuss learning preferences and styles in our classes, 然后教学生运用能使个人成功最大化的技巧. Our students learn to visualize material, create mnemonic devices, and make old-fashioned flash cards. In eighth grade, we memorize sections of the Constitution with songs, and write raps and chants to learn the bones in the skeletal system.

7. Watching for Cues/Focus

Middle schoolers love their devices. 但最近的研究警告说，电子设备可能会让今天的年轻学生难以集中注意力. So focus is a primary concern for all educators. 在Waynflete, 老师们一直在评估屏幕时间和“老派”纸笔技能之间的平衡. bet365官网六年级和七年级的学生在索引卡上做研究笔记，而八年级的学生bet365官网使用数字笔记卡. 教育工作者使用语言提示来帮助学生过渡到课堂对话, 强调与说话的同学进行眼神交流的重要性, 并强调保持静止的重要性，这样演讲者才能专注于他们的主题，而不是坐立不安的同学.

8. Teach Them to Teach Themselves

有多少次你被告知你的孩子问的问题太多了? bet365官网都希望bet365官网的孩子自己bet365官网，并发现他们可以自学. Asking questions is the first step. In fact, the best lesson plans often begin with great questions.

9. Maximize the Moment, Pace, and Tone

从历史上看，初中被看作是升入高中的跳板. 但是中学的设计可以让11到14岁的孩子以正确的速度发展. 韦恩弗里特的中学老师知道，这是一个允许快乐的时刻. They teach students the importance of taking time to just be. 他们关注的是当下，而不是“中间”可能具有的过渡性.

韦恩弗莱特所在的整个中学每周都会举行集会，庆祝社区取得的成就, 分享音乐, perform skits, and make announcements. Assemblies are also a time to stop, breathe, and enjoy time together. We want to concentrate on the experience of the “middle learner,” not the student who is always preparing to move on.