Chapter 1

     After reading chapter one in Teaching Young Adolescents: Methods and Resources for Middle Grades Teaching, I found two most important ideas that current and future educators should keep in mind in order for success in the classroom. First, educators need to adequately prepare themselves for all aspects of the educational setting. Teachers need to be knowledgeable of the curriculum, policies and procedures, mission statement, demographics of students, organization of the school, schedules, and just about every facet, especially first year teachers or teachers who may be unfamiliar with a new school or district. All faculty members should be completely ready at the start of the academic year for anything the school year may bring in order to ensure the safety, progress, and success of each student. 
     Additionally, adolescents endure a number of changes as they progress through these middle years between elementary and high school. Students develop intellectually, physically, emotionally/psychologically, socially, and morally/ethically. Students may develop intellectually by thinking deeper about concepts in the world and about themselves. Students may develop physically by growing a few inches, gaining weight, or acquiring muscle. Students may develop emotionally/psychologically by becoming more or less sensitive to others thoughts, actions and words. Students may develop socially by spending more time with peers and less time with parents/guardians and/or adults. Students may develop morally/ethically by asking question after question to understand who they are and what they believe (Kellough, 2008). Overall, educators need to both prepare themselves for all aspects of the educational setting and be aware of the changes students endure in order to best prepare themselves and their students for academic success.


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.