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When I graduated with my BA, in secondary English education, I went in search of a High School position in Gainesville, FL. At that time, there were no positions at the high school, but there were openings at the Middle School. I reluctantly applied. Little did I know then that this would be one of the single most significant decisions of my life.
I fell in love with young adolescents, and their boundless energy, curiosity and vulnerability. I fell in love too with the middle school concept; an ideology in this case, centered on the needs of young people and the principles of equity, community, relationships, and empathy. Though housed in an old high school building, with few physical amenities, this school was rich in passion, purpose, and faith in the capacity of children, all children, to grow. I was inspired daily by students, but I was also inspired by the way we were doing middle school and reaching children who had often fallen through the cracks.
Critical to our success was our belief that quality of our relationships with students, families and each other would determine the quality of education we could offer. Hence, we organized students and staff in ways that maximized our connectedness. Every student belonged to a small learning community or team, and remained with that team for 3 full years. The day began with a morning meeting time called Advisory, intended to provide students with guided relationship building and fellowship. Teams worked tirelessly to personalize learning using steady team planning to address the varied needs of students. Many of my students were encumbered by poverty, disrupted family life, and attachment issues. The school was organized to heighten a sense of belonging and affiliation, making it possible for students to feel safe enough to really learn. We were large in numbers, nearing 1000, but felt small.
Inspiration also came from offering our students a plethora of short term exploratory courses they loved, and lots of choices in learning. Moreover, shared-decision-making made this school a vibrant and responsive place in which to teach. Teachers were genuinely invited into all school decisions: schedule, offerings, organization, programs, and so on. Teams were decision-making powerhouses, and fueled significant changes in our school over time. We were inspired because we mattered and that culture of inspiration was pervasive and contagious. People cared deeply about students, one another and the integrity of the middle school concept.
Many years after my school had opened as a middle school, the Principal retired. In his honor a reunion was arranged and teachers from near and far traveled to attend this event. It was remarkable to hear and read the testimonies. In a nutshell, all agreed that we lived through a shining moment in education, and were fortunate to have taught in a school that lived up the the bold ideals of best middle schooling.
That inspiration for me has lasted a lifetime.
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