Articles+Written

I find it interesting that the film industry is finally cashing in on an educational philosophy that is so simple to understand but usually overlooked by educators, parents and students. The Oscar Awarded movie //Slumdog Millionaire// essentially explains the concept that we learn best from life’s experiences rather than textbook learning. These experiences prepare us for not only the game show questions but also the application of this knowledge in our interactions, creativity and innovation. The idea that students will learn if they are properly taught is as antiquated as the concept that debt spending will lead to a more prosperous economy. Educators must not simply teach rather they must offer opportunities for students to “own” the knowledge. In this day and age we continuously read that the jobs of tomorrow have not even been thought of today. If this is so, then we must encourage our children to learn new skills and new methods for obtaining knowledge. Through these experiences, students gain the ability to make choices, create solutions, see and sometimes feel the effects of their decisions but most importantly, they gain confidence. In our middle schools we strive to create such experiences for the students so that they may learn and appreciate their impact on their neighborhood, country and the world environment. Through the use of technology our international students can examine their role in this ever shrinking world. Our children are growing up in a world that is linked and accessible 24/7 and this has changed how our children learn and interact in this new age. The evolution of the learner and therefore the needed evolution of instruction are often hard to conceptualize from the outside looking in. Children, in many ways, still act and look the same as they did 30 years ago. However, we can no longer expect that they are unaware of the world around them. In the past, children learned from our schools, social circles and communities. Now children have access to so much more than what we are able to monitor. We must help them understand what it is they are learning. Therefore, the evolution of instruction must change. As educators, whether we are parents or teachers, we must find ways to teach our children to discern right from wrong and fact from fiction. No longer can we assume that students are waiting to collect knowledge, rather we must show them how to analyze and synthesis the information they are obtaining. Our role is to make connections, between the world they live and the information we are presenting, so that they may evaluate how it all fits together. It is for this reason that I am excited about the implementation of a 1:1 lap top program in our grades 7 through 10 next year. Implementing a lap top program not only puts a very powerful tool in to the hands of our students but also encourages teachers to continue to evolve their teaching away from base knowledge acquisition, continuing to move toward synthesis and analysis of information. These skills will be essential in the 21st Century. In middle school we are dedicated to developing connections for students to the world around them. The implementation of 1:1 computers will serve as the medium for bridging the remaining gaps in our attempts to engage students and integrate thoroughly their learning in school with real world applications. Our students, unlike those portrayed in //Slumdog Millionaire,// will be equipped with the knowledge necessary to succeed as well as the ability to process information to lead successful, informed lives.
 * Life teaching us our lessons**

Ronald A. Roukema, Ed.D //What is the Purpose: A phrase often defined yet left to much interpretation. Students in middle school often ask this question in relation to assignments, procedures and requests we make of them. We have so much to learn from them if we only listen.// //In a typical middle school, students are expected to arrive daily and “disconnect” from the outside world and “tune in” to their new school environment.// //The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.// Herbert Spencer Anyone who spends any amount of time with a middle school aged child knows they are in the presence of something unique. Michael Thompson in his visit to our school told the story of a parent wondering if there child had been abducted by aliens. As parents, we need to take a minute and reflect back to being in their shoes. Often remember back to when you first shared your own opinion with your parents or attempted to push the boundaries they put in place for you. As parents, we have enjoyed watching our children turn to their group of friends and develop interests of their own. This stage of adolescents exemplifies the attempts we make in our middle years programs to provide student choice with in our structures so we can develop their sense of being and be proud of the strengths they are developing. Our task as middle level educators is to challenge students daily both academically as well as developmentally. Exposing students to new peer groups, course offerings, and concepts, we strive to prepare students for the world in front of them. Across the river, our two campuses have made great strides to strengthen our existing programs. Meeting the academic needs of the student, we have agreed to a consistent core block period on each campus. The core block will continue to be supported by specials focusing on global languages, music, health, physical education and art. Additionally, both campuses will continue to support students through our affective programming. Affective programs are designed to meet the social and emotional needs of students. Our advisory program is one component of the affective curriculum of our affective curriculum. The advisor is an adult (teacher or administrator) who has a non-evaluative, long-term relationship with a student in his or her group, and who serves as an advocate for the individual. In addition, the advisory group is a defined entity in which a student has automatic membership. A sense of belonging and an environment that is comfortable and secure are developmentally important needs of students this age. Whether for a full period or for five minutes, the advisory serves the very important function of setting the tone for the day. Furthermore, as we grow to our full capacity of 432 students in the 2008-2009 school year, we will add much needed opportunities for students. Our regular offerings of band, strings, and music are being supported by a full year of art, drama and additional exploratory classes to help your student fully explore options that are of interest to them. To compliment the advisory programs, we will continue to offer a wide range of exploratory electives. This program will offer students over 60 choices ranging from Math Counts to Chinese Calligraphy. These offerings in middle school will help your child become well rounded and appreciative of the world they live. Our programs on Puxi and Pudong will exemplify the common philosophy that middle school students need to be exposed to a wide range of opportunities. These opportunities need to be accessible to the students to explore and discover their own individual talents. As the Pudong Campus continues to grow and we continue to work on middle school alignment, our students will benefit from attending a school that not only prepares them for high school but the 21st Century.
 * Purpose of Middle School and Aligning Two Campuses**

Ronald A. Roukema, Ed.D


 * The Second Time Around -**


 * Settling in**

What is it about year two that makes every thing feel so much more under control and manageable? Is it that we now know the routines, procedures and expectations or is it the calmness of familiarity that allows us to focus? Or is it finally being able to find my way from the Links to the Fabric Market without getting lost on the Nanpu Bridge? For the students and families new to middle school, I can certainly empathize with you on the transitions. For those of you who are new, whether you are new to Middle School, SAS, Shanghai, or China, we hope that we have minimized the transition anxiety and that you are feeling comfortable with your decision to entrust us with your most valuable asset, your children. Starting my second year in Shanghai, I have found much comfort in the ground work we put in place last year. Through many conversations with parents, students and staff members we have worked to tweak our program so that we can offer a highly effective academic program while maintaining our western philosophy and focus on well rounded education. To facilitate this, our middle school has made several adjustments. We have expanded our elective course offerings to over 60 choices for students, added a year long Art program, a full time Drama program, added additional support in our counseling department and expanded our school size by 60 students. These programmatic expansions have been made possible through careful planning and realization of the schools mission statements. Additionally, as a result of these conversations we have developed appropriate communication protocols that we published to our parent community in early September. As life long learners, we continue to evaluate our program and see areas that our community would like us to further expand improve upon. Three areas where we strive to continue to expand include: our use of technology in daily instruction, our integration of content for a more formalized approach to interdisciplinary learning, and ways to maximize our students’ exposure to our host country. Last year as I conducted daily classroom walk throughs, I was astonished by our student’s ability to recite information almost verbatim from their notes or text books. Twenty years ago, this would have made any administrator proud of their school. However, we no longer can ask students to recite information; rather they must be able to process it. Furthermore, school is no longer a place where students go with open minds waiting to be filled with facts and figures. Rather school is a place for students to ask questions, find and share their answers while acquiring life long learning skills. To achieve this, we as parents and educators must change the questions we ask students. No longer should we as educators ask when or where, but now ask the why and how questions. By changing what we ask, we can in fact change how students think. The development of our technology is pivotal in the continuation of the development of these life long skills. Through the use of technology and interdisciplinary units, students will develop connections, ownership and understanding of how to obtain and process the material which will better prepare them for the 21st Century. Just prior to the October break, we shared with the Pudong middle school community the 26 activities that the students had experienced in the first 26 days of school. It is within these experiences that the learning in the classroom gains meaning and context so that the desire to learn is not extinguished.
 * Making the adjustment:**

Ronald A. Roukema, Ed.D