Middle Grades Teachers Research Articles

From Appreciating to Disrupting: Interrogating Equity-Centered Syllabi for Middle Grades Teacher Preparation

The researchers used Gorski’s continuum of five approaches to multicultural education—which extends from conservative to liberal and then critical—to analyze 40 syllabi from required or elective courses for candidates seeking licensure to teach in the middle grades (grades 4–9). While the researchers found evidence of all five approaches within the syllabi, most syllabi fell under the liberal approach, emphasizing the understanding of individual learners and cultural responsiveness as the purpose of equity-based work. Following syllabi coding, the researchers conducted nine semi-structured interviews to member-check and analyze to what extent respondents perceived their syllabi as matching their instruction. In addition, the researchers identified four factors for limiting equity-orientations in the syllabi and in teaching the courses themselves: national and state standards, institutional requirements, sociopolitical context, and individual knowledge. While the researchers identified strengths in equity-oriented middle level teacher preparation syllabi, they also illuminate the need to move the focus in syllabi more consistently from appreciating diversity to disrupting oppressive systems.

Pre‐service middle school teachers' specialized content knowledge on sampling variability

AbstractThis study investigates a range of non‐normative ideas that pre‐service teachers (PSTs) employ in reasoning about sampling variability. This issue was studied in the context of a content course on statistics and probability for pre‐service middle grade teachers at a Midwestern American university. Analysis of seven PSTs' video and screen records of task‐based interviews has articulated fundamental facets of sampling variability that have not yet been fully explicated in the literature, especially with middle grade PSTs. With the content expectation of sampling variability for middle grade students as suggested by policy reports in the United States of America, this study is particularly fertile ground for designing curricula that can support middle grade PSTs' development of critical specialized content knowledge on sampling variability.

Learning to Struggle: Supporting Middle-grade Teachers' Understanding of Productive Struggle in STEM Teaching and Learning.

This qualitative study examines the influence of a 3-year professional development project for middle school mathematics, science, and special education teachers focused on integrating science, mathematics, and engineering in classroom instruction on participants' understandings of productive struggle in learning. Multi-disciplinary teams of teachers engaged as learners to use engineering design as a framework for integrating significant mathematics and science content supported by effective teaching practices. In this paper, we describe how the components of our professional development design supported teacher-participants to make sense of productive struggle in learning. In particular, participants noted that being able to experience design-based activities as learners and working through solutions with their colleagues supported their understanding of what it means to productively struggle, resulting in their growth as individuals and as teachers. The significance in this work lies in understanding how to effectively support teachers to buy-in to the meaning and value of productive struggle and how engaging in integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), design-based professional learning experiences facilitated that effort.

Interrogating the Tensions: A Collaborative Self-Study of Middle Grades Teacher Education Practices in Justice-Oriented Professional Development

Middle grades teachers and middle grades teacher educators are practicing in a complex sociocultural and sociopolitical moment. As part of the recent critical turn in middle grades education, antiracist teaching and equity pedagogies have gained momentum in the middle grades education literature. Calls to engage in these practices, however, have been met with education legislation and policies intended to forestall equity-oriented teaching. In this context, middle grades teacher educators have an especially important role to play in helping prepare and support justice-oriented preservice and in-service middle grades teachers. In this collaborative self-study of teacher education practices, the authors looked closely at the experiences of five facilitators of a critical professional development institute and also engaged the perspectives of professional development leaders. Together, the authors sought to understand both the strategies and tensions in their work to engage middle grades teachers in critically conscious practice. Study findings describe both teacher educator strategies for the implementation of critical professional development and the possible tensions in this work.

Navigating common challenges: Guidance for educators in racial justice work

The work of racial justice advocacy in the field of education is fraught with responsibility and challenge. The impact of historical racism on social policy within the United States has had an enduring effect in the educational realm, which is maintained in part by the prevailing white supremacy culture (WSC). Recent middle level education scholarship has emphasized the urgency of addressing racial inequities in middle schools. Yet teachers attempting to confront unjust practices and policies are often met with significant obstacles, which can curtail racial justice efforts. Antiracist middle grades teachers could benefit from a knowledge base regarding how to respond to common challenges faced in racial justice work. Drawing on the experiences of a group of middle grades educators who are striving to create more racially just schools in their communities, this article offers guidance for navigating resistance. We describe three pervasive challenges the group faced in their work: (a) antiracist initiatives without antiracist school policy; (b) resistance from colleagues; and (c) self-doubt. We subsequently draw connections between these challenges and WSC and offer recommendations for potential ways to respond to these challenges.

Research Synthesis on Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners

Drawn from both existing research and the author’s research experiences in middle schools in the United States, this research synthesis paper will highlight the key principles of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching (CLRT) for multilingual learners (MLLs) who are acquiring English as an additional language. Although CLRT is regarded as an important framework for middle grade MLLs’ learning, there is a lack of resources that provide a comprehensive view of historically/theoretically ground and research-based approaches for middle grade educators to consider in the classroom. This paper attempts to address this need by discussing the historical orientation of CLRT and its five major principles commonly identified in relevant literature. These principles include: (1) building foundational knowledge of MLLs’ home languages, (2) offering translanguaging space for MLLs’ linguistic repertoire, (3) using multimodality for MLLs’ engagement, (4) implementing integrated approaches for content and language, and (5) seeking collaboration for MLLs’ diverse needs. These key elements of CLRT provide insight into how middle grade teachers can support equitable access to learning opportunities for MLLs.

A Case Study of Responsive Middle Grades Education in a Laboratory Middle School in the USA

This case study describes responsive approaches to middle grades education and teacher education at Laboratory Middle School (LMS), a subunit of the college of education in a public university in the southeastern USA. LMS was established with a mission to serve rural students who had experienced struggles in the regular school system and to serve as a clinical site for the preparation of middle grades teachers, counselors, and school nurses. Many students at LMS have faced challenges due to physical or cognitive exceptionalities or because of traumatic experiences. Thus, programs and practices in the school must respond to the developmental stage of the young adolescents whom it serves, as well as the many varied individual needs of the learners. The conceptual frame for the study is “responsiveness” as defined by seminal middle-level literature (e.g., This We Believe), and the theoretical underpinnings are constructed from theories of stage–environment fit and human ecology. The study employs a case study design and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. The case report describes the LMS context and details manifestations of responsiveness at LMS organized in three categories: (a) culture and community; (b) curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and (c) leadership and organization. The authors offer four sets of implications for the design and delivery of responsive programming in middle-level schools: (a) a holistic approach to young adolescent education; (b) commitment to continuous improvement; (c) theoretical pragmatism in pedagogical practices, programs, and policies; and (d) engagement of preservice teachers in immersive field experiences.

A comparative study on motivational factors in choosing teaching profession

PurposeThis study aims to identify the main motivational factors that led practicing teachers to choose teaching as a profession in the United States and Turkey. Another purpose of this research is to investigate the possible significant difference between male and female teachers from the United States and Turkey considering motivational factors that lead them to choose teaching as a profession.Design/methodology/approachQualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data. First, randomly selected middle grades teachers were asked to write personal statements where they explain their main reasons for choosing teaching as a career. Then, qualitative data obtained from personal statements were coded. The coding process allowed the researcher to create factors. Then, cross-tabular representation was produced by descriptive data. Finally, ANOVA was run in order to identify significant differences among groups of participants in terms of all motivational factors.FindingsResults indicated that (1) female teachers are motivated mostly by “Leisure and Comfort”; (2) “Enjoyment of subject” is a big motivator for US male teachers; (3) Turkish male teachers are motivated mostly by “Necessities” (4) male teachers have no strong desire to work with kids; (5) female teachers enjoy teaching more comparing the male teachers; (6) US Female teachers feel more personal fulfillment in teaching.Practical implicationsMotivational factors and reasons for choosing a teaching career can be further investigated by qualitative case studies with selected male and female teachers in order to better understand the reasons that derived both male and female teachers to specific kinds of motivational factors. That may provide a tick description of how motivation for the teaching profession develops over time starting from early memories and experiences in education and schooling. Through the lens of these kinds of qualitative studies, we may better understand how lived experiences are affecting decision-making by developing interest in specific areas.Originality/valueAlthough there is a considerable amount of studies conducted to examine preservice teachers' reasons given for joining the teaching profession, limited research has been done with practicing teachers to better understand the factors that motivated them to join the teaching profession.

Examining Longitudinal and Concurrent Links Between Writing Motivation and Writing Quality in Middle School

Research shows that writing motivation decreases throughout schooling and predicts writing performance. However, this evidence comes primarily from cross-sectional studies. Here, we adopted a longitudinal approach to (a) examine the development of attitudes toward writing, writing self-efficacy domains, and motives to write from Grade 6 to 7, and (b) test their longitudinal and concurrent contribution to the quality of opinion essay in Grade 7, after controlling for quality in Grade 6. For that, 112 Portuguese students completed motivation-related questionnaires and composed two opinion essays in Grade 6 and 1 year later, in Grade 7. Findings showed that, while attitudes and all motives to write declined, self-efficacy did not. Additionally, opinion essay quality in Grade 7 was associated with essay quality in Grade 6 as well as with self-efficacy for self-regulation and intrinsic motives in Grade 7. In other words, current motivational beliefs seem more important to students’ writing quality than their past beliefs. This conclusion means that, in order to fostering students’ writing performance, middle-grade teachers should nurture their positive beliefs about writing by placing a higher value on writing motivation in the classroom.

A Curriculum-Based Approach to Learning Trajectories in Middle School Algebra

Our aim is to contribute to the body of research on learning trajectories (LTs) in mathematics by making visible a process for articulating a hypothetical learning trajectory implicit in a widely adopted, reform-based, middle-grades mathematics curriculum. In doing so, we highlight considerations, decisions, and challenges we faced as part of this work. By describing our LT articulation process, our aim is to highlight ways in which curriculum-specific LTs can be articulated to serve as a more proximal and instrumental tool for teachers’ instructional practice. Furthermore, to illustrate we describe how the products of the work were used in practice-based professional learning experiences with middle-grades mathematics teachers.

Time as a resource in mathematics education: Teachers’ perspectives

Different kinds of resources, material and non-material, are used and developed with the aim of being part of an effective mathematics education. As a non-material resource, time seems to be of great importance to teachers and students. The aim of the present study is to focus on teachers’ views about time as a resource and its interactions with other resources in mathematics education. For this purpose, a large-scale examination of teachers’ opinions was undertaken, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, and involving teachers from different school levels. The results show that teachers highly value time as a resource, although with clear differences among primary, middle, and higher grade teachers. The participants of all levels complained to a great extent about not having as much time as they need for geometry topics, problem solving, and teamwork. On the other hand, the results show that textbooks and technology as material resources save teachers and students time, making lesson preparation and enactment more efficient, particularly in lower grades. The insight gained into teachers’ views about time, together with the literature review, indicate the importance of non-material resources within the discussion of resources.

Simulating Collaboration in a Blended Course for Preservice Middle Grades Teachers: Attending to Team, Task, and Time

Collaboration and teamwork are essential aspects of the work of a professional middle level teacher and an integral part of AMLE Standard 5. Preservice teachers typically experience collaborative practices firsthand during field experiences, but the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many schools to shift instruction online thereby limiting the opportunities for teacher candidates to experience daily life in schools. Teacher educators can provide simulated opportunities for candidates to collaborate and engage in teamwork in virtual classroom settings. The author describes ways to simulate teacher collaboration in virtual settings by providing an example of engagements with teacher educators in a middle grades course with an emphasis on three aspects of planning: team, task, and time. The author reflects on the implementation of the simulation and offers recommendation for improvement.

Trade books' contextualization of consequential women's historical significance

PurposeThis paper explores the representation of consequential women in history within children's and young adult biographies.Design/methodology/approachThe data pool was established by developing a list of women's names extracted from common textbooks and state social studies curricula. Early-grade (K-4th) and middle-grade (5th-8th) in-print books were selected for juxtaposition because these students have the least prior knowledge and are perhaps most dependent on the text. Two researchers independently engaged in qualitative content analysis research methods, which included open and axial coding.FindingsEarly- and middle-grade biographies aptly established the historical significance of, but largely failed to contextualize, each figure's experiences, accomplishments and contemporaneous tensions. The women were presented as consequential, though their advocacies were not situated within the larger context.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations included a dearth of women featured in both state standards and biographies, limited audience (early and middle grades) and exclusion of out-of-print books. Comparable inquiries into narrative nonfiction, expository texts and historical fiction, which have different emphases than biographies, are areas for future research.Practical implicationsDiscussion focused on the significance of findings for teachers and researchers. Early- and middle-grade teachers are guided to contextualize the selected historical figures using primary and secondary source supplements.Originality/valueNo previous scholarship exists on this particular topic. Comparable inquiries examine trade books' depiction of historical significance, not contextualization of continuity and change.

Middle-Grade Teachers’ Reasoning with Fraction Division Tasks

This study provides a fine-grained analysis of teachers’ reasoning as they engage in quotitive fraction division tasks. In particular, this qualitative analysis considers the mathematical knowledge that six middle-grade teachers used in a professional development program and interviews. In all of the items, fraction division situations were approached through linear or area models. Analysis focused on three knowledge components with which teachers associated in reasoning fraction division tasks: partitioning operations, reasoning with quantitative units(referent units and levels of units), and interpretations of numerical expressions of division.

Characterizing reasoning about fraction arithmetic of middle grades teachers in three latent classes

ABSTRACT We analyzed item responses provided by a nationwide sample of 990 in-service U.S. middle grades mathematics teachers to a novel survey focused on fraction arithmetic. The survey targeted four components of reasoning in terms of measured quantities: Referent units, Reversibility, Partitioning and iterating, and Appropriateness. Using the mixture Rasch model, a psychometric model that combines unidimensional scaling with classification, we detected 3 latent classes. To understand what distinguished the performance of teachers in the three classes, we analyzed their responses to each item. One main result is that the performance of teachers across the three classes was more clearly distinguished on items targeting Reversibility and Partitioning and iterating than it was on items targeting Referent units and Appropriateness. A second main result is that the three classes formed a nested structure that aligned with good performance on more and more components of reasoning targeted by the survey items.

Connected Learning in STEAM Classrooms: Opportunities for Engaging Youth in Science and Math Classrooms

STEAM education evolved to address the critical demand for creative transdisciplinary teaching that was under-realized in STEM programs. However, this novel concept has not been clearly conceptualized; this is likely attributed to the lack of a grounding theory to frame STEAM. We propose using connected learning theory to examine a previously developed STEAM conceptual model. This work explores the potential of connected learning theory to understand specific STEAM instructional practices. Using observations of 43 middle-grade teachers from 14 schools enacting STEAM practices in their classrooms, we examined what connected learning looked like in STEAM classrooms and how the STEAM conceptual model could be enhanced by analyzing implementation practices through the principles of connected learning. The qualitative data analysis of observations, video recorded data, and debriefing sessions with teachers after the observations included two rounds of analysis. This found significant overlap in ideas of connected learning and STEAM, notably a shared emphasis on design, collaboration, and contextualized learning.

How Middle Grades Teachers Experience a Collaborative Culture: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Collaboration is a powerful tool for professional development that creates opportunities for teachers to reflect on their practice. However, school districts continue to have difficulty both implementing and sustaining collaboration. The purpose of this research was to investigate the experiences the teachers in a creative, instructional collaboration. This study yielded several observations. The first was that teachers can experience successful, high-level collaboration in which they perceive a sense of satisfaction, mutuality, trust, and growth. For five middle grades teachers in a private, faith-based school, their satisfactory experience with collaboration was teacher-initiated. When participating teachers believed that they had power over their collaboration, they perceived the collaborative experience as productive to the extent that they were able to engage in collegial learning. The teachers in this study found that teacher-initiated collaboration offered them trust and they were more comfortable, transparent, and open with their partners. They were more willing to question their existing approaches and try new ones. The results also supported the claim that teacher collaboration can facilitate school reform. Participating teachers felt less isolation and developed more teacher knowledge.

Surveying Middle-Grades Teachers' Reasoning About Fraction Arithmetic in Terms of Measured Quantities

We report a novel survey that narrows the gap between information about teachers' knowledge of fraction arithmetic provided, on the one hand, by measures practical to administer at scale and, on the other, by close analysis of moment-to-moment cognition. In particular, the survey measured components that would support reasoning directly with measured quantities, not by executing computational algorithms, to solve problems. These components—each of which was grounded in past research—were attention to referent units, partitioning and iterating, appropriateness, and reversibility. A second part of the survey asked about teachers' professional preparation and history. We administered the survey to a national sample of in-service middle-grades mathematics teachers in the United States and received responses from 990 of those teachers. We analyzed responses to items in the first part of the survey using the log-linear diagnostic classification model to estimate each teacher's profile of strengths and weaknesses with respect to the four components of reasoning. We report on the diversity of profiles that we found and on relationships between those profiles and various aspects of teachers' professional preparation and history. Our results provide insight into teachers' knowledge resources for enacting standards-based instruction in fraction arithmetic and an example of new possibilities for mathematics education research afforded by recent advances in psychometric modeling.

Metacognition and Middle Grade Mathematics Teachers: Supporting Productive Struggle

Communicating mathematical ideas through writing, listening, and verbalizing allows students to think about how they “think” about mathematics. By focusing this communication on a reflection of how one thinks about mathematics, metacognitive writing engages students as mathematicians and learners. In this article we describe a professional development that we implemented with middle grade mathematics teachers focused on metacognitive writing as a tool to support productive struggle in the mathematics classroom. Thus, this practitioner article adds to the knowledge base on how to develop middle grade teachers metacognitive writing through engagement in productive struggle. Recommendations for practice are included.

“We do STEM”: Unsettled conceptions of STEM education in middle school S.T.E.M. classrooms

AbstractSTEM education has received attention both as a reform pedagogy and as a public means for economic growth and national security. Yet, despite this attention, clarity about what “counts” as STEM and how the individual disciplines relate to an integrated approach remains ambiguous. This article elicits the conceptions about what constitutes STEM education from middle grade teachers across the United States who teach a STEM discipline. Based on coded interviews and drawn conceptual models, participating teachers were more likely to describe essential aspects of integrated STEM found in the literature, but when asked to draw their conception of STEM education in their context, they often represented less ambitious conceptions. Furthermore, nontraditional subjects like engineering and technology were sometimes represented in subordinate ways to traditional subjects like science and mathematics. These findings have implications for preparing teachers to engage students in integrated STEM learning experiences as well as policy implications for what requirements must be in place to fund new STEM learning opportunities.