Middle Level Teacher Education: Mid Grades Curric&Instruction

Middle schools have evolved from the traditional "junior" version of high school into institutions dedicated to providing developmentally responsive pedagogy for early adolescents. As such, these schools create a culture of learning unique to the physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs of students ages 10-14. Participants in this course will examine curriculum, instruction and assessment that is relevant, challenging, integrative and exploratory. Together we will explore the purpose and design of these practices, including various strategies for connecting curriculum, through democratic principles, service learning, the integrated use of technology, common core and reflective teacher practice.

Online Course; June 28 - July 2, 2021: 9-4 PM:synchronous and asynchronous; July 6 - 9, 2021: fully asynchronous. Important: Students must register first through www.middlegradescollaborative.org prior to registering through the UVM system.

https://middlegradescollaborative.org/institute/

This three-credit course is part of the annual Middle Grades Institute (MGI) hosted by the Middle Grades Collaborative. MGI prepares individuals, teams, and schools to implement remote and face-to-face learning environments that respond to students’ needs, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice. Topics include learners’ needs in relation to equity, personalization, trauma-informed practice, social-emotional learning, restorative practice, social justice and more. Course standards include the following Vermont Agency of Education Middle Grades Teaching Endorsement Competencies: 2.1. Standards/Proficiencies Use standards, proficiencies, and transferable skills within and across disciplinary fields to design and implement developmentally and culturally responsive, relevant, and challenging curricula for every learner. 2.2 Integration Integrate student voice into curriculum design to address local and global issues of personal significance, including student interests, needs, and aspirations. 2.3 Multiple & New Literacies Strengthen students’ informational, technological, quantitative, multicultural, media, and critical literacies within and across disciplinary fields. 5.3. Community Involvement Partner with the local and global community to bring the community into the classroom and the classroom into the community. Students must register first through https://middlegradescollaborative.org/

This year MGI will be fully virtual, with both synchronous and asynchronous learning time. During the course, students will set personalized goals related to the course standards and design a pathway to achieve those goals. Learning opportunities include team time, facilitated workshops, small group discussions, one-on-one consultations, self-paced modules, and consultations with middle school learners. Over the course of MGI, students will construct a portfolio documenting their learning in relation to the Vermont Agency of Education Middle Grades Teaching Endorsement Competencies.

Grades are based on attendance, participation, and the final portfolio. In the portfolio, students will 1) set goals for MGI that reflect the Vermont Agency of Education Middle Grades Teaching Endorsement Competencies for this course; 2) design an action plan to address those goals by consulting with MGI facilitators and accessing MGI resources; 3) post and reflect on evidence of learning those goals during MGI; 4) create and implement an action research project that addresses at least one goal and MGI Standard; and 5) share the results of the action research project at the MGC conference.