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Heather Bode

ARTE 344
FACILITATION SHEET
Title:
Middle School Organization: Practices Reflecting Values
Author(s):
Paul S. George
Source/Date:
Association for Curriculum and Development (1992)
Main Idea/Purpose (2-3 sentences):
George states that Middle School curriculum does not have to revolve around subjects.
Instead, more effort should be placed into socialization and cooperative learning.
Short Overview (Including at least 2-3 important quotes):
George begins with an anecdote of a consultant coming into a middle school and
changing the way the course leaders view curriculum structure. He goes on to list examples of
methods in middle schools that have shown positive results. In the section Establishing Guidance
and Advisory Groups, he states that between years 5 and 8, a reconfiguration occurs that
separates the students as well as the teachers from a reliable and familial bond. A way to prevent
this is Teacher Advisors (M. James 1986).
He goes on to discuss the building of team identity and the belonging that can
foster during these developmental years. Then he explores the option of Interdisciplinary
Exploration. Students want to master rules of their cultures and of its specific vocations and
avocations. They want to use language precisely, not allusively: they want to draw pictures that
are photographically realistic, not fanciful or abstract: and they expect a strict adherence to rules
in dress, behavior, games, moral situations and other cultural activities, brooking little
deviation. (Gardner 1989, p. 158).
His final point is how to organize the new systems. In a system so bound by
subject, how do we go about rearranging it. After inflexible times such as arrival and departure,
lunch, and classes taught as off-team teachers have been determined, each team of teachers
should take responsibility for working out a team schedule for the time that remains. (George
72). He suggests that the education system move away from the direction it has pursued the past
decade and a half and develop social skills as well as academic skill. Dont limit science to just
physics, biology, and chemistry, but provide students with opportunities to see what those things
do in the real world. Show them what artists do in the real world. Teach through experience and
cooperation as opposed to drones with textbooks.

Critical Response: Reflections and/or relevance to personal art educational experiences/or


teaching experience
Many of my past art teachers in the past have pulled me aside to communicate
about my art and to see how I am doing. This practice is similar to one of my roles as a
Community Advisor in the residence halls on this campus. We practice what we call one on ones.
The principle is the same. The teacher will meet with each of their assigned students for a period
of fifteen minutes or so and develop that cross-generational bond; thus meeting the childs need
for a strong affiliation with a group of peers within the school. (George 55).
A lot of my art teachers use their past experiences to communicate about art in
our lesson plans. It helps me learn more than just reading from a textbook since I can relate to
some of my teachers stories through student teaching myself last year and being in many art
classes in high school. I want to make sure I create meaningful lesson plans in the future.

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