Kathleen Roney – författare

Studies like the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have compared the performance of U.S. middle grade students (i.e., eighth graders) to those in other countries. In relation to middle grade schools, 20 countries outperformed the United States in mathematics and nine countries scored above the U.S. in science. The intent of this volume of The Handbook of Research in Middle Level Education, An International Look at Educating Young Adolescents, is to broaden our understanding of middle grade schooling by critically examining the education of young adolescents (ages 10-15, typically grades 6-8) through an international lens. In addition to looking at how schooling and students are organized for teaching and learning, this handbook will focus on the successes and failures that are evident in a wide variety of nations, present the indictments and praises that have been offered by supporters and critics alike, and review the research that has been generated about educating young adolescents in an effort to cross national boundaries. Ultimately, this volume of the handbook series will explore what international perspectives teach us about the effective education of young adolescents.

Teacher-pupil planning means teachers and students working in a partnership to articulate a problem/concern, develop objectives, locate materials/resources, and evaluate progress. The intent of this volume of Middle Level Education and the Self-Enhancing School titled, “School is Life, Not a Preparation for Life”-John Dewey: Democratic Practices in Middle Grades Education, is to take the thoughts about the middle grades school curriculum presented in volume one (Middle Grades Curriculum: Voices and Visions of the Self-Enhancing School) and demonstrate the efforts taking place in teacher education programs and middle grades classrooms today. Volume two is organized into two parts, efforts within teacher education programs and efforts of practitioners in the middle grades classrooms.

We asked authors in both contexts to address the following questions:

1. Antecedents: What knowledge, skills and dispositions must be in place in all stakeholders to have teacher-pupil planning serve a central role in the middle grades teacher education program or middle grades classroom?

2. Implementation: What does the teacher-pupil planning process look like within your teacher education program or middle grades classroom?

3. Outcomes: What benefits (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) are derived from the implementation of teacher-pupil planning in your teacher education program or your middle grades classroom?