Middle Schools Preparing Young People for 21st Century Life and Work

Abstract

A close examination of the battery of evidence and informed analysis about education over the past generation strongly indicates that middle schools are searching for a mission. labels say it all: Mayhem in the Middle. The Forgotten Middle. Stuck in the Middle. Muddled in the Middle. This lack of clarity is ironic, given the urgency of preparing an emerging generation of young people for the competitive challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. global economy and democratic society that today's 10- to 14-year-olds will inherit demand a different kind of preparation than that experienced by any previous generation. schools are uniquely positioned to take ownership of this territory. middle years are crucial-and often the last best chance-for engaging and motivating students to achieve results that matter. Developing proficiency in 21st century skills, along with deep content knowledge, should be the mission of middle schools and the outcome of middle grades education. Redefining rigor for the 21st century All students need a rigorous education to thrive in a complex, connected, and constantly changing world. Rigor, however, must be redefined for the 21st century. Mastery of core academic subjects is a necessary, but no I longer sufficient, credential for postsecondary workplace, or citizenship readiness. Equally important are competencies in the 21st century skills that differentiate the leaders and laggards on the international playing field-the arena in which every industry and individual in advanced nations competes today. These skills (listed in Figure 1) include critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, financial and health literacy, and global awareness. We can no longer afford fair to middling middle school performance. There is a much higher calling to which middle schools must aspire-nothing less than the teaching and assessing of the central skills of success in the 21st century. Students must leave school with a deep knowledge of academic content and with the 21st century skills they need to apply their knowledge, work with others, and manage their lives. Emphasis on 21st century skills promotes learning by doing, talking, and processing in teams, problem solving, expanding the audience for learning, and giving students more choice, said Mary Jo Conery, assistant superintendent for 21st century learning in the Catalina Foothills School District in Tucson, Arizona. Middle school students are ripe for these kinds of experiences, as they are also developing a sense of identity. They want and need engaging work that stimulates their curiosity, involves them in decision making, provides some autonomy and choice in learning, improves self-regulation, and allows opportunities for creative expression. This kind of learning environment will not only motivate and challenge our adolescent students but aid them in discovering who they are, who they want to be, and prepare them to be productive 21st century citizens who will succeed in a rapidly changing world (personal communication, November 6, 2008). void in the middle National and state efforts to improve education over the past decade have done little to carve out a singular mission for middle schools. Under No Child Left Behind, elementary schools have a clear mission of getting students ready to learn-a reasonable goal. Specifically, this means developing and improving student proficiency in reading, mathematics, and science. Clearly, foundational knowledge and skills are essential for more advanced learning. High school reform initiatives, meanwhile, are converging on the clear mission of getting students ready for college or careers, with growing consensus that the requirements for either path are the same: rigorous coursework in core academic subjects and proficiency in 21st century skills (see, for example, Achieve, 2008; ACT, 2005; Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2006). …