Teaming
Highland Park Junior High
School implements core subject teaming that consists of four teachers
(English, math, science and social studies), who share a group of
students. Teaming is generally considered the heart and soul of the
middle school model. During the team periods students are covering the
standard curriculum at a regular or challenge level, as well as
integrating a focus area such as instructional technology, writing
across the curriculum, or language immersion. Team teachers meet
consistently to discuss curriculum, review class progress and discuss
individual student issues.
Why Teaming?
As
you know, adolescence is a time of tremendous change physically,
emotionally and academically. The transition from elementary to
middle/junior high school can be one of the most exciting and
challenging times in a student’s life. In most elementary schools
children are taught in one or two classrooms with the same group of
students and one or two teachers. At Highland Park Junior High School,
students have to get used to eight teachers, many new students, and new
sets of expectations academically and socially. Academically, students
must learn to juggle homework and long term project assignments from
possibly eight different teachers. Socially, they must learn how to make
new friends responsibly, exercise their growing independence and deal
with physical changes and how those changes impact their relationships
with peers.
The National Association of Elementary School
Principals and the National Middle School Association recommend that
schools adopt transition plans to “restore the strong sense of
belonging the entering middle school students once felt in elementary
school.” One part of our plan at Highland is to expand teaming. The
developmental differences that 12 and 13 year old students experience
calls for more support to help them make a smooth transition.
What Are the Benefits for Your Child?
Team teachers have identified the following benefits of being on a team:
Sense of belonging - When students transition to junior high
school, they adapt to a larger school, new teachers, new expectations
and a complex schedule. Being on a team gives them a “home base,” a
common group of teachers and students.
Consistent, clear Expectations - instead
of having eight different teachers, each with his/her own rules, students
can expect clear guidelines concerning behavior, homework, etc., from
the team teachers.
Tracking student progress - because all four teachers have the same students, they are able to get a view of the students’ abilities and progress.
Helpful communication with parents and guardians - one
teacher can contact parent/guardians when needed and relay information
related to the student’s progress in all four classes.
How can I find out more information about teams?
Please call the following staff members at 651-293-8950 if you have questions concerning teaming: Elisabeth Mulvaney or Gina Mascotti Registration for courses and/or teams
Jean Walker or James Migely 7th grade team information
Leah VanDassor or Judith Scheid 8th grade team information
Martha
Johnson or Gretchen Smith Spanish Immersion
David Currie
French Immersion
Charlene Hoff School wide implementation of teams
For more information about middle/junior high schools and how you can
support the needs of adolescents go to the National Middle School
Association website at Home Page: http://nmsa.org/
If
you do a site search for teaming, the first item on the resulting list
has a link for "teaming" (the word in blue as part of the item text).
If you
click on this, it takes you to a list of topics. You need to scroll
down to teaming and then click again. This gives you a list of articles
and or presentations.
Family Connections. If you click on
Services/Resources (left column of home page) and then Family
Connections (right column) it takes you to an archive of their parent
newsletters
National PTA Home Page: http://www.pta.org/
Link to Minnesota PTA: http://www.mnpta.org/
| 
