GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO OUR PART TWO SERIES. THESE SEMINARS ARE SPONSORED BY THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES AS WELL AS THE NIH CHILD CARE BOARD. BEFORE I INTRODUCE ABNER, I WOULD LIKE TO DO HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF. FOR THOSE THAT ARE JOINING US HERE IN BUILDING 31, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND TO USE YOUR MICROPHONES WHEN YOU'RE ASKING YOUR QUESTIONS OR MAKING COMMENTS SO THOSE THAT ARE VIEWING THIS VIA THE WEBSITE CAN HEAR YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS. FOR THOSE THAT ARE JOINING US THROUGH THE WEBSITE. THERE WAS A LINK FOR HANDOUTS AND SLIDES. YOU CAN FOLLOW THE SLIDES AND THE RESOURCE PACKET THERE. ALL OUR WEBINARS ARE ARCHIVED AND LOCATED ON THE NIH CHILD CARE WEBSITE. TODAY WE HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL 101, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN BE QUITE THE CHANGE FOR NOT ONLY THE STUDENT BUT THE PARENT AND ABNER IS HERE TO SHOW US OUR EXPECTATION FOR OURSELVES, PARENTS, AS WELL AS STUDENTS. I'LL TURN IT OVER NOW. LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS TOO LOUD OR NOT LOUD ENOUGH. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. CERTAINLY EVERYBODY WHO IS WATCHING THIS VIA THE NIH WEBCAST. AS TONYA SAID I'M ABNER OAKS. WHAT GIVES ME THE RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL? WELL, LET ME GIVE YOU BACKGROUND. I WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER FOR 16 YEARS. I TAUGHT IN MASSACHUSETTS HERE IN M.D. AND MICHIGAN. FOR THAT TIME. FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND SCHOOL REFORM INITIATIVES EITHER WITH ORGANIZATIONS OR ON MY OWN HERE IN THE DC AREA, ALSO NATIONALLY, TOO. FOR EXAMPLE, I DO A LOT OF WORK IN SOUTH DAKOTA WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT OUT THERE THAT IS WORKING TO REFORM THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, TOO. SO I GET AROUND A LITTLE BIT. I HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT KIND OF REFORM AND IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS ARE GOING ON HERE IN THE DC AREA WHETHER YOU'RE FROM MOMENT GOVERNMENTRY COUNTY, HOWARD, AND ALSO NATIONALLY, TOO, HAVING WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS NATIONALLY, BUT ALSO -- ALSO ORGANIZATIONS THAT SORT OF DO THAT WORK AND GO OUT AND DO THAT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT WORK NATIONALLY, TOO. THE OTHER THING THAT MAKES ME GOOD TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, I HAVE AN 11 YEARS OLD, A 6th GRADER AT WEST LYNN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, JUST A FEW MILES FROM HERE OVER OFF MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. SO WHAT'S BEEN INTERESTING FOR ME AS KIND OF A SCHOOL REFORM AND RESEARCH GEEK IS TO SORT OF SEE WHAT I'VE STUDIED AND WHAT I'VE TON IN SCHOOLS AND SEE THAT IN ACTION WITH MY 6th GRADER AT WESTLAND, TOO. I HOPE I CAN BRING BOTH OF THOSE PERSPECTIVES TODAY TO EVERYBODY TOO. IS THIS LOUD ENOUGH? I THINK YOU CAN HEAR ME, I'M USING MY MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER VOICE. AND I HOPE PEOPLE OUT THERE WILL LET ME KNOW, TOO. HERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT WE'RE GOING TO TOUCH ON, TODAY. I HOPE TO MAKE THIS INTERACTIVE, CERTAINLY WITH THE GROUP THAT'S IN HERE. AS WE GO ALONG, I'LL STOP AND SEE IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S HERE. GENERALLY I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, ABOUT CHANGES IN EXPECTATIONS THAT COME AS STUDENT SHIFTS FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. COMMUNICATIONS ISSUES, BEING PROACTIVE AND ALSO KIND OF ENSURING THAT YOU HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO THAT WHEN THINGS MIGHT GO WRONG, YOU UNDERSTAND WHO TO BE IN TOUCH WITH, HOW TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THEM, SO ON. WE'LL TALK ABOUT STUDY AND ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, THEN RESOURCES. WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE IS TIME AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, TOO. I KNOW THERE ARE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HERE AND I WON'T PUT THEM ON THE SPOT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IN DIGGING AROUND IN THE LITERATURE, I GRABBED SOME THINGS THAT TRIED TO PAINT A PICTURE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT 11, 12, 13 YEAR OLD AND WHAT THEY'RE LIKE AT THIS STAGE IN THEIR LIFE. AND HOW I WOULD SUMMARIZE THESE THREE THINGS HERE IS THAT THERE IS A REAL TENSION. THERE IS A TENSION BETWEEN KIND OF SELF-EFFICACY AND GETTING A SENSE OF WHAT MY IDENTITY IS AS AN 11 OR 12 YEARS OLD, AT THE SAME TIME, BEING A SOCIAL ANIMAL IF I CAN SAY THAT. COUNTING ON WHAT THE GROUP FEELS ABOUT ME. THERE IS A REAL TENSION AS 11, 12, 13-YEAR OLDS TRY TO CUT THEIR OWN BATH AND FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE, BUT DO IT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE GROUP AND WANTING TO SEEM SCHOOL. AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT TRY TO BALANCE AND WE'LL LOOK A LITTLE BIT AND WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS TRY TO DO. MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT TRY TO BALANCE THAT, THAT ALLOW FOR THAT SORT OF SOCIALIZATION. AND THAT DESIRE TO BE PART OF THE GROUP. YET AT THE SAME TIME, DEVELOP CURRICULUM OR HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT APPEAL TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ARE GOING A FURTHER WAY THAN THOSE THAT TRY TO KIND OF FUNNEL STUDENTS, FUNNEL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICULARLY ALL INTO ONE PATH. SO YOU CAN READ THIS HERE. BUT THAT SECOND BULLET, THAT STRUGGLE, THAT TENSION BETWEEN PERSONAL AND GROUP IDENTITY, TOO. I'LL STOP. THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? I KNOW PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PRESS THE BUTTON IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. >> I'M CURIOUS, IS THIS A HARDER TIME MIDDLE SCHOOL THAN HIGH SCHOOL ACTUALLY FOR DEALING WITH SOME OF THE STUFF? I KNOW HIGH SCHOOLERS DEAL WITH IS THIS TYPE OF THING ALSO. >> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHAT -- I MEAN I WOULD SAY YES. BUT I ALSO WANT TO -- FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES, THAT THERE IS SOME OF THE SAME STUFF GOING ON IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE KIND OF THE PHYSICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON TOO, THAT ARE PART OF THAT. AND I THINK THAT ALL GETS -- NOT TO SAY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AT HIGH SCHOOL. BUT THAT ALSO KIND OF GETS MIXED UP IN THINGS, TOO. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> YES. >> WHAT IS YOUR -- I MEAN -- >> I'VE HEARD BOTH -- I'VE HEARD IT BOTH WAYS. SINCE YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR OPINION. >> HIGH SCHOOL BRINGS WITH IT -- MAYBE THAT'S THE NEXT ONE, TO TALK ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL 101. HIGH SCHOOL BRINGS ITS OWN ISSUES, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO WHAT'S NEXT. RIGHT? MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT JUST NOW. BUT EVEN AT 9th, 10th GRADE, SCHOOLS ARE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT MY PATH IN MATHEMATICS, LET'S SAY. WHAT THAT SUGGESTS FOR ME IN 12th GRADE AND WHERE I MIGHT BE ABLE TO APPLY TO COLLEGE. THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING AT 9th AND 10th. THAT SPECTOR RISES UP. FOR STUDENTS AT A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE HAVE YET ANOTHER ISSUE TO THINK ABOUT, THAT LARGER WORLD OUTSIDE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. >> OKAY. BECAUSE PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT TEENAGERS AND HIGH SCHOOL IS DEFINITELY TEENAGERS. I GUESS MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A COMBINATION OF PRETEEN AND TEENAGERS. >> THAT'S CORRECT. FROM MY TEACHING, I ENJOY TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOLERS BECAUSE OF THE CHURN. AND BECAUSE OF THEIR STRADLING THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPACE, SO THEY'LL BE REALLY HONEST. THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK. THAT COOLNESS FACTOR, THAT SOMETIMES I THINK HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TALK ABOUT HASN'T KICKED IN JUST YET. AND I LIKE THAT CHURN I HAVE BEEN A CLASSROOM. SO AGAIN, HERE IS -- THINK ABOUT A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOM. AND BEST PRACTICES. HAVE YOU SEEN THESE KINDS OF THINGS? I WANT TO GO BACK TO THIS HERE. TO -- WHAT DO WE SEE IN ALIGN MENT? HERE IS WHAT BEST PRACTICES SUGGEST ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THE WAY THEY LEARN BEST. THAT THEY NEED TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH CONTENT. AGAIN, GO BACK HERE. THEY'RE ACUTELY AWARE OF THAT OUTSIDE WORLD. SO THEY'RE REALLY -- THEY CAN REALLY ENGAGED WITH CONTENT. THEY WANT TO KNOW. THEY'RE SORT OF HUNGRY, SPONGE-LIKE IN MANY WAYS. HANDS-ON. INQUIRY BASED. ALL RIGHT? ARE THEY IN CLASSROOMS THAT ARE A LITTLE CHAOTIC, A LITTLE NOISY? THEY'RE UP AND ABOUT. AND THEY'RE LITERALLY TOUCHING, GRABBING ON TO PAPER, TO MATERIALS TO CREATE STUFF, TO WORK TOGETHER. ARE THERE COOPERATIVE FLEXIBLE GROUPINGS IN THE CLASSROOMS? THE OTHER NIGHT, BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT, THE OTHER NIGHT FOR THOSE OF US IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TWO WEEKS AGO, I SAT IN A CLASSROOM. HAVING BEEN IN HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF CLASSROOMS OVER MY 30 YEAR CAREER IN SCHOOLS, THAT I KNEW WASN'T A FLEXIBLE SETTING. THE WEST THE DESKS WERE, THE WAY THE INTERACTIVE WHITE BOARD WAS SET UP, I KIND OF NEW THAT DESKS DIDN'T GET PUSHED AROUND A LOT IN THIS CLASSROOM. THAT WAS TOO BAD. I HAD A FEELING I KNEW HOW THAT CLASS WAS GOING TO RUN. AND STUDENTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEY WANT THERE TO BE THE POTENTIAL FOR FLEXIBILITY. SO I THINK OF WHEN I WAS TEACHING, WE MIGHT HAVE ALL OF OUR -- MY STUDENTS KIND OF CROWD UP IN FRONT OF THE -- I HAD A CHALK BOARD WHEN I WAS TEACHING. THAT DATES ME A LITTLE BIT. CROWD UP IN FRONT OF THE WHITE BOARD. WE DO A QUICK LESSON. THEN WE PUSH OUR DESKS BACK INTO SMALL GROUPS. THEY WERE WORKING ON SCENES FROM McBETH. AND THEN WE PUSHINGED ALL THE DESKS TO THE SIDE. EACH GROUP HAS TO ACT OUT WHAT WE WERE DOING ALL WITHIN THAT 45 MINUTE BLOCK. AGAIN, ARE WE SEEING CLASSROOMS THAT ALLOW FOR THAT KIND OF FLEXIBILITY? THAT KIND OF MOVEMENT THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO HAVE. IS THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY ABOUT TIME, SO REMEMBER, I SAID THAT MY SON IS A 6th GRADER. IT'S EASILY ONE OF THE MOST INEFFICIENT LEARNERS I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE. MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS NEED TIME. UNFORTUNATELY, THE STRUCTURE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH 43 MINUTE CLASSES, THAT'S WHAT OUR SCHOOL HAS, AND FOUR MINUTE PASSING PERIODS, DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALIGN WITH THAT NEED FOR TIME. BUT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS NEED TIME TO KIND OF DIGEST, TO MAKE THAT COULD BE TENT THEIR OWN SO TO SPEAK, AND BUILD ON THAT CONTENTED, TOO. WE CAN HELP THEM BE MORE EFFICIENT, GIVING THEM BEST PRACTICES, SETTING UP SYSTEMS BUT THEY JUST NEED MORE TIME TO DO STUFF. I HOPE I MAKE A BRICK BETWEEN HERE AND HERE. BECAUSE I THINK IN SOME WAYS, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM CAN PROVIDE FOR MORE OF THIS. THERE IS TIME IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL CLASSROOM. STUDENTS ARE IN THE SAME CLASS OFTEN ALL DAY. IF I WERE THE TEACHER, YEAH, I'VE GOT READING AND MATHEMATICS AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO COVER BUT I COULD SORT OF SAY WAIT, THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION ABOUT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, TO MY 5th GRADERS. LET'S TAKE SOME TIME ON THAT AND SORT OF, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT BELL RINGS AFTER 43 MINUTES, AND THEY'RE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT CLASSROOM. SO I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT IF THESE ARE BEST PRACTICES, AS THEY MOVE FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHAT IS A LINE. WHAT IS MIRRORED FOR THEM? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THESE STRUCTURAL CHANGES. CERTAINLY THE CHANGE IN SIZE. THINK OF THAT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT NEED TO BE -- TO BE ONE'S SELF-AND ALSO BE PART OF A SOCIAL GROUP IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, TO FIND A SOCIAL GROUP WITHIN THAT 1100 KID SCHOOL. AND AGAIN, THERE SHOULD BE ADULTS HELPING THEM DO THAT, TOO. HELPING THEM KIND OF FIND THAT GROUP. OTHER CHANGES THAT OCCUR. CERTAINLY SOME MAY BE IN A K6 SCHOOL. BUT FOR MY GUY, HE WENT FROM BEING TOP DOG IN 5th GRADE TO BEING BOTTOM DOG, SO TO SPEAK, IN 6th GRADE. THAT'S A BIG CHANGE, A REAL HIT I THINK THAT SOME MIDDLE SCHOLARS TAKE ON. IT'S HARD TO DEAL WITH IN THOSE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS. GO AHEAD. >> WHAT HAPPENS -- YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW KIDS NEED TO FIND A SOCIAL GROUP. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE KIDS, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME, THAT JUST CAN'T FIND A SOCIAL GROUP? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S EXTREMELY DAMAGING FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE? >> I DON'T, I DON'T THINK SO SO. DON'T GET ME WRONG. THERE ARE CERTAINLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO FO THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AS THEIR OWN. AND MY GUT TELLS ME THEY'LL BE PERFECTLY FINE. BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT VERY ISSUE, THAT THEY ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN WHO THEY ARE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY -- THEY HAVE SOME BUDDIES THAT THEY HANG WITH DURING LUNCHTIME. THEY MAY BE VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT WHO THEY ARE, AND THAT'S IN SOME WAYS THEIR OWN SOCIAL GROUP, TOO. I THINK THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, TOO. WHAT I WOULD ARGUE IS AS AN ADULT IN THAT SCHOOL, APPROACH THAT CHILD. AND HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WITH HIM OR HER, ABOUT HOW SHE, HE OR SHE IS FEELING IN THAT SCHOOL BUILDING. WHAT KIND OF FRIENDS DO THEY HAVE? AND HOW CAN YOU AND I MAYBE TALK EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO CHECK IN? I THINK ADULTS, INTERVENTION IS THE WRONG WORD. ADULT COMMUNICATION, PARTICULARLY WITH THOSE STUDENTS, I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL, TOO. A LOT OF RESEARCH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A SINGLE ADULT IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL OR REALLY IN ANY SCHOOL. IT'S VERY SUGGESTIVE THEY MOVE THROUGH IN A VERY SUCCESSFUL, REALLY FROM K12. IF THERE IS A SINGLE ADULT FOR WHATEVER REASON TAKES A SHINE TO IN THAT STUDENT AND HELPS HIM OR HER THROUGH THEIR CAREER. I'M UP IN THE AIR ABOUT THIS. I DO THINK -- I WOULD SAY THIS. THERE IS MORE ACADEMICS. I'M NOT CONVINCED THEY'RE MORE RIGOROUS. I THINK THERE WILL BE. I THINK THERE IS JUST MORE RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE RIGOR WILL COME. THE ACADEMICS CERTAINLY CHANGE AS KIDS MOVE FROM EXHIBITMENTTRY TO --ELLEMENTTRY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. THERE IS ALSO CHANGE BETWEEN PERFORMANCE FOCUSED AND TASK FOCUSED. I HAVE A SON FROM MON GOVERNMENTGARY COUNTY THAT LIKE TO GET ON EDLINE AND LOOK AT HIS GRADES. HE CAN LOOK THERE AT HIS GRADES. HE'S TAKING A QUIZ ONE DAY. THE NEXT DAY, HE CAN GET ON AND LOOK AT HIS GRADES. THAT NEVER HAPPENED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SO THAT EDLINE IS PROVIDING IMMEDIATE REWARD OR MAYBE SOMETIMES NOT REWARD, RIGHT? ON THAT PERFORMANCE FOCUS RATHER THAN TASK FOCUS. HE WANTS TO KNOW, DID I MAKE A B.? DID I MAKE AN A.? THAT'S A CHANGE. THAT KIND OF TALK HAS CHANGED IN OUR HOUSE. ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THOSE SLIDES HERE. ANY SHOTS? SO A COUPLE MORE ABOUT JUST THEM AND SCHOOL. HERE IS BIG BUCKETS. WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND WHEN THEY START MIDDLE SCHOOL? I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY WENT INTO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE LOCKER OVER THE COURSE OF THIS SUMMER. IT WAS A1. IT WAS A HEADLINE. FOR MONTHS. WE EVEN WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A MASTER LOCK. WE PROMPTLY LOST THE COMBINATION. WE BOUGHT A MASTER LOCK SO THAT MY SON COULD PRACTICE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE KIND OF LOCK HE WOULD -- LOCKER HE WOULD HAVE. THAT WAS THE KIND OF LOCK HE HAD ON HIS LOCKER. SO DON'T MAKE LIGHT -- I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT. BUT DON'T MAKE LIGHT OF THESE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE IN THIS NEW BUILDING. EVERYTHING FROM THE LOCKERS, TO LIKE THE SPECIAL STAIR WAY, OR STAIRWELL THAT STUDENTS GO UP. THAT'S A BIG DEAL. AND I UNDERSTOOD IT WAS A BIG DEAL THE OTHER NIGHT AT BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT. I MEAN THERE IS 1100 STUDENTS AT MY SON'S MIDDLE SCHOOL. I THOUGHT BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT WAS CROWDED. GETTING AROUND THE STAIRS, GETTING THROUGH THE HALLWAYS. A PARTICULARLY FOR 6th GRADE STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T HIT -- HALLWAYS ARE A BIG NEW COMING. BE SURE TO LISTEN TO THAT. THOSE KIND OF PHYSICAL LOGISTICAL CONCERNS ARE OFTEN TIMES AT THE TOP OF THEIR LIST. CERTAINLY, TOO, THERE ARE SOCIAL CONCERNS. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR CONCERN OR INTEREST IN BEING PART OF THE GROUP. WE ALSO MENTIONED THIS INCREASED ACADEMIC DEMANDS. THINK ABOUT THE HOMEWORK, ALL 2 CLASSES GIVING THEM -- ALL THE CLASSES GIVING THEM 20 TO 350 MINUTES AND WHAT THAT -- HOW THAT COMPARES TO 4th AND 5th GRADE HOMEWORK. YOU HAD ONE TEACHER NAVIGATING THE HOMEWORK. NOW YOU HAVE SEVERAL THAT MAY NOT BE COMMUNICATING ALL THAT WELL ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK THAT COMES HOME. THE LAST THING I'LL SAY HERE, IS KNOWING THAT THESE CONCERNS ARE ON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT'S MINDS. HOW MANY OF YOU FELT THAT THIS SUMMER REALLY LAST YEAR, AND THIS SUMMER THERE WERE FAIRLY GOOD WHAT I WOULD CALL TRANSITION ACTIVITIES BETWEEN YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL? FOR EXAMPLE, DID YOUR KIDS -- DID YOUR 5th GRADER GO MORE THAN ONCE TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL? DID SOMEONE FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COME TO YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAST SPRING TO TALK WITH THE KIDS? NOT ONLY AN ADULT. BUT AN EXSTUDENT. WAS THERE A DAY WHEN STUDENTS CAME TO YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL TO SPEND A MORNING KIND OF GOING THROUGH IF ROUTINE? SO IN THINKING ABOUT THESE AREAS HERE, WHAT DO MIDDLE SCHOOLS DO TO MORE EASILY TRANSITION KIDS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEY FALL, AGAIN, INTO THESE BUCKETS HERE. THAT SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, FOR EXAMPLE. SHARING WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS, ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THEY COULD JOIN FROM THE NEWSPAPER TO THE JAZZ BAND TO HOMEWORK CLUB. AGAIN, ARE THEY DOING THAT BEFOREHAND TO TRY TO EASE THE CONCERNS THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS MIGHT HAVE? ANYONE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT TRANSITION ACTIVITIES FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE? DID THEY OCCUR? DO YOU REMEMBER THEM OCCURRING? I SEE SOME HANDS. >> ONLY ONE TIME. I MEAN ONE TRIP THERE. SO NOT MULTIPLE TRIPS. >> YEAH. I -- AGAIN, I WOULD ARGUE MULTIPLE TIMES INCREASES THE COMFORT. SOMETIMES IT CAN BE DONE. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN DO IT. MY SON'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS WALKING DISTANCE TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SO IT WAS EASY FOR THEM TO JUST WALK UP, GET ON MASS AVENUE AND WALK DOWN. WE WERE LUCKY WITH THAT. BUT I THINK KIND OF CREATING MULTIPLE INTERFACES WITH THE SCHOOL, ALSO ALLOWS KIDS WHO ARE DIFFERENT TO KIND OF FEEL COMFORTABLE. DID THEY LIKE THE A 5th GRADER COMING BACK, DID THEY LIKE THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR TALKING TO THEM. DID THEY LIKE HEARING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE CLASSES BEING OFFERED? SO IT GIVES THEM DIFFERENT LENSES TO LOOK AT THE SCHOOL. INTO QUESTIONS OR OTHER COMMENTS? I WANT TO MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS ISSUES. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AROUND MIDDLE SCHOOL, ARE THE TEACHERS BASICALLY TOLD TO NOT BE QUITE AS -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT WORD TO USE. MOTHER OR WHATEVER, OF THE CHILDREN, TO NOT TREAT THEM AS LITTLE AND START MOVING THEM ON TO PREPARE THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL? >> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE LAST TEN YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A REAL MOVEMENT IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PEDAGOGUEGY ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS. THEY DON'T CALL IT MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY REFRIGERATOR TO IT AS -- REFER TO IT AS MIDDLE GRADES. THEY WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THIS SINGLE EMBODIMENT, THIS IDEA OF THE SCHOOL. AND I THINK THE CHANGE HAS BEEN THE BALANCE. THE BALANCE BETWEEN SUDDENLY STUDENTS ARE NOW MORE OBLIGATED TO A -- TO CONTENT, TO A MORE RIGOROUS CURRICULUM IN SOME WAYS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEIR FEET ARE STILL IN THE 4th AND 5th GRADE. SO HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE CONTENT, THIS KIND OF RIGOR, THIS CHANGE? AND THEY ARE -- BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE -- WHAT WAS THE WORD YOU USED? >> I SAID MOTHERING. >> THAT'S THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ETHOS, THE MIDDLE GRADES ETHOS, NOW. THAT BALANCE. HOW TO PROPERLY BALANCE THAT. I WOULD ARGUE IN SOME WAYS THAT I'D SAY ALMOST THERE WASN'T ENOUGH OF -- YOU USED THE TERM MOTHERING. I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH, SOMETIMES, OF THAT. >> MAYBE IT LEADS TO 7th GRADE, THEY SHOULD STILL DO MORE OF THAT, AND THEN THE OTHER GRADES MAYBE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO MOVE BACK FROM THAT. >> IF YOU GO -- THERE IS SOME -- ON SOME OF THE HANDSOUTS THERE IS A MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL WEBSITE. IT'S INTERESTING TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY HOLD AS IMPORTANT. AND DOES IT -- YOU'LL SEE THAT IT REFLECTS A DESIRE TO KIND OF ENSURE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT IS SUPPORTED, A DESIRE TO GET THEM STARTED ON THEIR -- IN SOME WAYS THEIR HIGH SCHOOL PATH. THE CONTENT. IT'S A VERY INTERESTING SET OF SORT OF STANDS THAT THEY TAKE. WAY IN BACK, PLEASE. >> WELL, MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT [INAUDIBLE] >> THANK YOU. WAS THERE ANOTHER COMMENT? >> I FOUND THAT WHAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR MY 5th GRADER, WHO WAS A BOY, VERY DISORGANIZED, TO NOW HAVE TO KEEP 7 SUBJECTS, 7 REQUIREMENTS, AND THE CONCEPT OF STUDYING WAS VERY FOREIGN TO HIM, THAT HE HAD TO REVIEW HIS NOTES EVERY DAY. I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE ACADEMICALLY, THAT TRANSITION CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT. AS A PARENT, YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE THE CONSEQUENCE OF GETTING A BAD GRADE BUT YOU ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT. SO THAT BALANCING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT ASSISTING THEM, BUT WHAT'S TOO FAR. AND THEY DO TELL YOU BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT, LET YOUR STUDENT BE ON THEIR OWN, THEY NEED TO DO THIS. AS A PARENT IT'S VERY HARD TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, AND THEN TO STEP IN AND REVIEW IT WITH THEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR TIPS ON WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS OF WHEN A PARENT NEEDS TO STEP BACK OR STEP IN? >> IT'S A GREAT COMMENT. THANK YOU, I WOULD ARGUE YOU'LL SEE HERE -- I WOULD ARGUE FOR LESS THAN MORE. THAT PARTICULARLY EARLY ON, TO ALLOW FOR POTENTIAL FAILURES, KNOWING IF WELL YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THE TEACHER. THEY'RE BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THE TACK YOU TAKE. AND IT'S HARD. I DON'T DISAGREE. WE'RE HAVING A TOUGH TIME. THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR IN MANDARIN. WE'RE HAVING A VERY TOUGH TIME, FOR MY 6th GRADER. HE'S NEVER HAD A LANGUAGE. HE DOESN'T KNOW, HOW DO I STUDY SOMETHING LIKE THIS? WE'VE RELIED ON THE TEACHER TO HELP US AND WE'VE ALSO SORT OF THOUGHT, TOO, IF YOU'RE HAVING AN ORAL QUIZ, HOW CAN YOU MIMMICK BACK TO US WHAT YOU NEED TO DO? IF YOU'RE HAVING A WRITTEN QUIZ, HOW CAN YOU WRITE IT OUT? SO HELPING THAT LIKE. BUT I WOULD ARGUE AND -- I PUT MY TEACHER HAT ON FOR A SECOND. I WOULD ARGUE FOR LESS, THAT THERE IS A TIME TO HELP. AND HELP SET SYSTEMS UP, TOO. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES STUDYING MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IF I'M GOING TO HAVE A TEST TOMORROW AND I HAVE TO WRITE OUT THINGS, ISN'T IT BETTER TO MAYBE WRITE THOSE OUT THAN JUST GAZING AT THE TEXTBOOK? WHICH I THINK A LOT OF TIME YOUNG PEOPLE THINK THAT'S WHAT STUDYING IS. WHAT DO OTHERS THINK ABOUT THAT? IS THAT WORKING? FOR THEM, TOO? >> EXCUSE ME. I WANT TO COMMENT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. MY SON IS A 6th GRADER. HE'S 11, A BOY. AND WHEN HE STARTED SCHOOL I WAS LOOKING IN HIS BOOK BACK. YOU'RE TALKING UNORGANIZED. PAPERS JUST SHOVED IN THERE. I WAS LIKE OKAY. SO I WENT WITH STAPLED, GOT HIM ONE OF THOSE PORTFOLIOS. I MADE A SUBJECT FOR EACH SUBJECT. I TOLD HIM, I SAID GO TO YOUR SCHOOL. GET EVERY PAPER OUT OF THAT DESK. AND I MADE HIM SIT DOWN AND BASED ON THE SUBJECT, PUT IT IN THAT FOLDER. IT'S ONE THAT HAS -- HE CAN CARRY IT TO EACH CLASS WITH HIM. SO IF HE WOULD DO THE HOMEWORK, PUT IT IN THE BOOK BAG, THEN I GOT -- THEY HAVE A SYSTEM AT THE SCHOOL CALLED IN-GRADE. I CAN GO IN AND SEE THE GRADE. MISSING HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS. HOW IS IT MISSING WHEN WE SAT HERE AND DID IT? I CAN'T FIND IT. IT'S IN THE DESK SOMEWHERE, ISN'T IT? SO I HAVE SEEN THAT CHANGE A LITTLE BECAUSE OF -- I HAD TO GIVE HIM THAT PORTFOLIO, AND I HAD TO MAKE HIM SIT DOWN. I EVEN HAVE ONE FOR NOTES THAT HE HAS ME SIGN. AND I EVEN GOT ONE OF THE LITTLE -- YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO HAVE THEM A LONG TIME AGO. THE MAIL SLOTS ON THE REFRIGERATOR. WHEN YOU COME HOME, YOU WANT ME TO SIGN SOMETHING, PUT IT THERE. DON'T LEAVE IT IN YOUR BAG, IF IT'S A TRIP, NOT IN THERE, YOU DON'T GO. >> CAN I SAY SOMETHING, TOO? WHAT YOU SAID IS INTERESTING. PROBABLY REFLECTIVE OF SOME OF THE SYSTEMS THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE SET UP. AGAIN, BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT, OR MAYBE WHEN YOU GO IN FOR TEACHER CONFERENCE. LOOK AND SEE, WHAT IS THE TEACHER -- I WISH THEY ALL USED THE SAME SYSTEM. THAT'S A CONVERSATION -- SOMETHING TO HAVE WITH THE PRINCIPAL. WHAT'S THE SYSTEMS THAT TEACHERS ARE USING? MY GUESS IS SLOTS TO PUT THINGS IN AND BE REFLECTIVE OF THAT. THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO MIRROR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. >> WHAT HE HAD, THEY JUST -- ON HIS SUPPLY LIST, THEY WOULD ASK FOR THE TWO POCKET FOLDERS. HE WASN'T KEEPING UP WITH THAT. SO I HAD TO GET SOME. HE WOULD GO TO CLASS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT FOLDERS AND BOOKS. SO I HAD TO GET SOMETHING HE COULD PICK UP AND HAVE EVERY SUBJECT WITH HIM. >> GOOD. GOOD. GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU. LET ME KEEP GOING. I WANT TO STOP IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES. I HAVE A BUNCH OF OTHER SLIDES TO GO THROUGH. LET ME TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH THE SCHOOL. NOW -- SO NOW YOU MOVE UP TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE IS MANY MORE ADMINISTRATORS. SO BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE HIERARCHY THERE. SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR TEACHER, YOU'VE GOT SOME KIND OF GRADE LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE A GRADE LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR. THEY MAY NOT HAVE A PRINCIPAL LISTENER. -- LICENSERTURE. SO ONE SMART THINK TO DO IS FIGURE OUT, ALL RIGHT, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE. SO IN 6th GRADE. THE TEACHERS, THE GRADE LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR. WHO IS MY SON OR DAUGHTER'S COUNSELOR? AND LAST RESORT, THE PRINCIPAL. GET IN YOUR MIND A HIERARCHY. OFTEN TIMES YOU CAN FIND THAT AT THE SCHOOL WEBSITE. WE TALKED A LIMBIT -- I HEARD ANOTHER USE OF AN ONLINE TOOL FOR COMMUNICATING. MONTGOMERY COUNTY WHERE WE LIVE, THEY USE L LINE WHERE ALL THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE. I'M ASSUMING SOME OTHER SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS USE -- >> MY SON'S SCHOOLS USE IN-GRADE. >> GREAT. AND AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH A SCHOOL. I THINK E-MAIL IS GREAT FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE TEACHER. I'LL TALK ABOUT OTHER WAYS THAT -- I THINK E-MAIL IS GREAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. WE -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT -- I LIKED IT, WHEN I WAS A TEACHER, I LIKED IT WHEN PARENTS CAME IN OUTSIDE OF PARENT CONFERENCES. WITHIN THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR WEEKS THERE WERE SEVERAL PARENTS THAT WANTED TO KIND OF -- WHAT DO YOU THINK SO FAR? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR OPINION OF OUR LEARNER. AND I LOVED THOSE KIND OF CONFERENCES, OUTSIDE OF THE PRESSURES. PEOPLE ARE WAITING IN THE HALLWAY TO COME INTO THE ROOM. DON'T BE AFRAID TO SET UP A CONFERENCE WITH MAYBE THE GRADE LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR. MAYBE INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS. DO THAT IN THREE, FOUR, FIVE WEEKS, BE PROACTIVE. I THINK THAT'S A LOVELY PRACTICE FOR PEOPLE TO DO. >> I'M GLAD YOU FELT THAT WAY. NOT ALL TEACHERS ARE WELCOMING TO WANT TO MEET WITH PARENTS. SOME OF THEM JUST DON'T ANSWER E-MAILS OR DON'T -- IT'S VERY CLEAR THEY DON'T WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS. >> KEEP PRESSING IT. BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. AND AGAIN, THINK OF THAT HIERARCHY. IF YOU NEED TO KEEP IT UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL BECAUSE OF NON -- BEING NON COMMUNICATIVE. I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A POWERFUL PIECE FOR ME TO BETTER KNOW THE STUDENT, AND CERTAINLY FOR THE PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND ME AND WHAT I WAS DOING FOR THE CLASSROOM, TOO. SO SO THINK OF THE RELATIONSHIP WHEN WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND THIS. WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE OR CONCERN YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ROLES. IS IT A CONCERN TO GO TO THE TEACHER? OR DO YOU KEEP IT UP, MAYBE THE COUNSELOR OR PRINCIPAL. TO PETER UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLES, OR UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, TOO. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK THAT QUESTION BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT, TO THE PRINCIPAL, TO THE GRADE LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR ME COMMUNICATING ABOUT WHAT'S -- ABOUT DIFFICULTIES IN THE CLASSROOM. SO OFTEN THEY'LL START WITH THE TEACHER. YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN. WITH THE TEACHER. IDEALLY, YOU WANT IT TO START AND END THERE BUT YOU WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, DOES THE SCHOOL HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR THAT, TOO? I LIKE E-MAIL, BUT AGAIN IT GETS BACK TO MY PREFERENCE ABOUT WHEN I WAS A TEACHER. I LOVED FACE TO FACE MEETINGS. SO CAN YOU, AS A WORKING PROFESSIONAL, CARVE IN TIME BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS? AND THEN LASTLY, I WOULD SAY TWO OTHER THINGS ABOUT ENSURING THAT THERE IS EVIDENCE, RIGHT? ARE YOU KIND OF -- SO WHAT'S GONE ON? DO WE HAVE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHETHER IT'S TESTS, QUIZES, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. AND WHAT'S THE PLAN? SO YOU HAVE A MEETING. WHAT ARE THE BENCHMARKS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR CHILD OR THE TEACHER HIT? MAYBE IT'S JUST COMPLIANCE. MAYBE SEEING SOMEONE FOR EXTRA HELP EVERY MORNING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. MAYBE IT HAS TO DO WITH GRADES. BUT SETTING UP A PLAN WITH BENCHMARKS AND GETTING BACK TO THAT TEACHER OR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT THAT, TOO. CAN YOU SEE I'M BUILDING THE POWER POINT DECK? MY SON AND I, HE HAD HIS LAPTOP OPEN. WE ARE SITTING STUDYING AT HOME. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT -- I DON'T KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR STUDY AT HOME SCENE LOOK LIKE? OURS IS -- SOMETIMES IT'S HERE AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE, SOMETIMES IN MY SON'S ROOM. I WORK OUT OF THE HOUSE. I'LL TAKE MY LAPTOP AND SIT IN HIS ROOM WHILE HE DOES HIS WORK. WE DON'T HAVE A DEVOTED SPACE THAT GOES AGAINST REALLY BEST PRACTICES. YOU SHOULD TRY TO HAVE GOOD VOTED SPACE. DEVOTED SPACE. THAT SEEMS TO WORK FOR US RIGHT NOW. SO HERE IS A SURVEY THAT WAS DONE BY MET LIFE. I FORGET THE DATE OF IT. AND YES, BELIEVE I MEANT OR NOT, 9 OUT OF 10 PARENTS REPORTED THAT HELPING THEIR CHILD, IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK AND SPEND TIME AGO. SOME OF THAT TIME MAY BE TENSION FILLED. I DON'T DISAGREE. BUT PARENTS STILL SAW THAT HOMEWORK TIME AS A CHANCE TO SIT AND HELP AND THINK AND TALK ABOUT THAT WORK. IS THAT IT WASN'T A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS AND DISAGREEMENT. WE ALL HAVE OUR STORIES, OBVIOUSLY. BUT GENERALLY, PARENTS SEE IT AS ANNUITANTS, LET'S SAY. I ALSO LIKE THIS, TOO. THERE WAS SOME RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE, I THINK IT WAS IN 2001, ABOUT THIS INTERACTIVE HOMEWORK PIECE HERE. AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD SORT OF POINT OUT, THOUGH, WITH THIS AND WHERE IS MY -- HERE IS, HERE. I I LOVE THIS IDEA. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR TEACHERS GIVING YOU CLEAR GUIDELINES ABOUT YOUR ROLE. IN THE HOMEWORK. RIGHT HERE, THEY DON'T EXPECT YOU TO ACT AS AN EXPERT. EVEN THOUGH I TAUGHT FOR 16 YEARS, MY MATHEMATICS BACKGROUND -- NO, MY LACK OF MATHEMATICS BACKGROUND IS NOW I'M SUFFERING EVEN NOW WITH 6th GRADE MATH. SO I DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS AN EXPERT. AND IN THIS MODEL, ARE YOU ASKING STUDENTS TO CLARIFY, SUMMARIZE WHAT THEY LEARNED? I TRY NOT TO DO HOMEWORK WITH MY SON WITH A PEN OR PENCIL IN HAND. I'M TEMPTED TO WRITE OUT THE EXAMPLE. I TRY TO GUIDE, ENCOURAGING THAT EXPAND YOUR BRAIN PIECE. TALK ABOUT THE HOMEWORK BUT ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW IT'S RELATED TO THE LARGER WORLD IN SOME WAY. AND FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, I THINK THAT RELATIONSHIP IS IMPORTANT ALSO. AND KNOW WHEN TO CALL FOR HELP. LAST THING, THEN I'LL STOP. IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS. WE GET TO ASK FOR THE PHONE ALMOST EVERY DAY. MY SON DOESN'T HAVE A PHONE. HE WON'T HAVE A PHONE FOR A WHILE. THIS IS A BIG ISSUE. IT BECOMES MORE PREVALENT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE. BOTH TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY WANT AND TECHNOLOGY THEY'RE ACCESSING AT SCHOOL. SO A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE. I THINK MOSTLY, IN CLASSROOMS, YOU'LL SEE ELMO PROJECTORS, GLORIFIED OVERHEADS. LIKE THAT. THEY'RE LOVELY AND THEY WORK A LOT BETTER BUT THEY'RE A GLORIFIED OVERHEAD. YOU'LL SEE INTERACTIVE WHITE BOARDS, AND CLASSROOM RESPONSE SYSTEMS THAT USE CLICKERS LIKE THIS. THOSE ARE PROMINENTLY THE THREE BIGGEST TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS YOU'LL SEE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> IF THIS WERE THE WHITE BOARD HERE, IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE A TOUCH COMPUTER SCREEN. THE PROBLEM FOR ME IS IT GETS TO THIS HERE. I THINK THERE IS LOVELY THINGS THAT, AGAIN, GO BACK TO THAT VERY, VERY BEGINNING SLIDE ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND NEEDING TO INTERACT WITH CONTENT. CLASSROOMS WHERE KIDS ARE UP FIDDLING WITH THE WHITE BOARD, TO ME, ARE -- AND THERE IS A LITTLE NOISE. THOSE JUST FEED SO WELL INTO WHAT A MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNER IS LIKE. UNFORTUNATELY, OFTEN TIMES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOMS YOU'LL SEE THE TEACHER AT THE WHITE BOARD JUST PRESSING THROUGH POWER POINT SLIDES. RATHER THAN LETTING THEM GET UP THERE AND FIDDLE AROUND WITH STUFF. SO THIS IDEA HERE OF YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGY WHICH FLIES IN THE FACE OF WHAT THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNER IS REALLY ALL ABOUT. I THINK, TOO, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS ABOUT PERSONALIZED LEARNING. ABOUT BLENDED CLASSROOMS. NOW, AGAIN, WHERE THERE ARE COUNTIES IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. COUNTIES MOVE TO THAT, WE'LL SEE. WHERE THERE MAY BE LARGER CLASSROOM SETTINGS. WHERE STUDENTS MAY WORK WITH TEACHERS, BUT THEY ALSO MAY GO OFF AND VIEW LESSONS THROUGH VIDEO, THEY MAY INTERACT WITH COMPUTERS ON ASSESSMENTS. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, CERTAINLY THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST AT THE SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEVEL ABOUT KIND OF SOCIAL PLATFORMS. LIKE TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, AND THERE WAS THIS REALLY FASCINATING SURVEY FROM SPEAK-UP. LOOK AT THE MIDDLE BULLET THERE. ABOUT STUDENTS WITH THESE ASPIRATIONS FOR MORE EFFECTIVELY LEVERAGING SOCIAL LEARNING SCHOOLS. DON'T GET ME WRONG, THERE ARE ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE DEVELOPING FACEBOOK LIKE INTERFACES THAT ARE JUST KIND OF FOR SCHOOL LEARNING. VERY THEY STRIKE ME AS POWERFUL AND ALIGNED WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNER, TOO. YOU'VE GOT A HANDOUT, I THINK. DO YOU KNOW WHAT? LET ME GO BACK HERE. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT -- ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING? I BRING IT UP BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND I ALSO THINK IT'S POTENTIALLY A POWERFUL TOOL FOR ENGAGING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT. IT'S HANDS-ON. IT'S PERSONALIZED. POTENTIALLY. IT'S IN THE OUTER WORLD. THAT'S WHY I BRING THIS UP AT THE END. THERE IS A RESEARCH SHEET THAT HAS A BUNCH OF LINKS THAT I PUT ON, IT HAS SOME RESEARCH. I KNOW PEOPLE IN WEB LAND CAN'T SEE THIS, BUT MY NAME, E-MAIL ADDRESS, CELL PHONE, MY TWITTER HANDLE. AND THEN I BLOG WHERE I WRITE ABOUT SCHOOL RELATED ISSUES. I HAVE A POST RECENTLY ABOUT BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT. AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO CONTACT ME THROUGH ANY OF THAT. I WANTED TO STOP. THERE IS TEN MINUTES LEFT. AND ASK ABOUT COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE. PLEASE. AND I MAY REPEAT IT BECAUSE YOU'RE BACK THERE AND THE VIEWING AUDIENCE ON THE INTERWEB MAY NOT HEAR IT. >> OKAY. I'M INTERESTED IN [INAUDIBLE] >> I KNOW THE COUNSELOR WILL BE ABLE TO DEAL MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THAT AFFECTIVE SIDE OF THE KID. WILL HAVE TRAINING, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ALL ABOUT IN SOME WAYS, PARTICULARLY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. THE COUNSELLER AND THE HIGH SCHOOL IS OFTEN DEALING WITH LOTS OF OTHER STUFF LIKE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, AND -- BUT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY KIND OF LOVE THAT BACK TO THE COMMENT WE USED MOTHERING, BUT THEY KIND OF LIVE THAT A LITTLE MORE THAN I THINK A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LIKE A PRINCIPAL WOULD BE. DON'T GET ME WRONG. I THINK THERE ARE FABULOUS PRINCIPALS WHO CAN REALLY GIVE THAT TO KIDS, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE COUNSELOR'S ROLE TENDS TO BE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> CLASSROOM, DEALING WITH TEACHERS, THERE MAY BE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF ADMINISTRATORS, YOU MAY HAVE A GRADE KIND, SOMEONE THAT OVERSEAS THE TEACHERS, AND THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE A PRINCIPAL. IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING SATISFACTION FROM DEALING WITH THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, I'D KICK IT UP TO THAT GRADE LEVEL PERSON NEXT. BEFORE I WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL. BECAUSE MY FEELING WOULD BE THE PRINCIPAL WOULD SAY HAVE YOU TALKED TO MISS SO AND SO, THE GRADE LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR. SIR. >> [INAUDIBLE] LET ME ASK YOU A PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT A CELL PHONE FOR THE KIDS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE PROS AND CONS? >> SO YOU SEE MY LAST -- THE BABY'S BATH WATER. SO I THINK TOO MANY SCHOOL SYSTEMS THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER. I THINK NOT ALLOWING, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THESE SOCIAL NETWORKINGS, NOT ALLOWING CNNS IN SCHOOL -- CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL, IN GENERAL, DOES A DISSERVICE TO LEARNING POTENTIAL NOW, DON'T GET ME WRONG. MY KID DOESN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE. WHEN HE GETS ONE, HE'S GOING TO GET ONE OF THE CLAM SHELL ONES, NOT THE FULL BLOWN INTERACTIVE ONE. BUT I THINK THAT IT IS EEASIER FOR SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SIMPLY SHUT OFF OF THIS STUFF THAN TO COME UP WITH, I THINK, THOUGHTFUL WAYS TO USE IT. THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT SOME AREN'T. MY SON'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM IS DOING A REALLY NICE JOB OF USING TWITTER. ABOUT SUMMARIZING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASS FOR PARENTS. PHOTOGRAPHS FROM FIELD TRIPS. WONDERFUL. YOU ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CELL PHONES. I THINK CELL PHONES HAVE A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, IF TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THEIR INTERACTIVITY. THIS CLASSROOM RESPONSE SYSTEM HERE, THERE IS ACTUALLY A GREAT TOOL ON CELL PHONES WHERE YOU TEXT SOMETHING. I COULD HAVE A GRAPH UP ON MY -- AND I COULD HAVE ALL OF MY STUDENTS IN THE CLASS THERE BE LIKE AN A., B. AND C. CHOICE. AND THERE IS A TOOL ON YOUR CELL PHONE THAT YOU CAN USE TO TEXT SOMETHING TO A NUMBER. AND THEN IMMEDIATELY, THE GRAPH SHOWS WHAT STUDENTS PICKED A., B. OR C. IT'S A LOVELY TOOL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THESE INTERACTIVE PIECES. BUT GENERALLY, I THINK -- I THINK SCHOOLS ARE STILL KIND OF BEHIND. AND SO I THINK -- I KNOW I'VE GIVEN YOU A LONG HEM AND HAW ANSWER. I THINK GENERALLY KIDS NOT HAVING CELL PHONES IN CLASSROOMS IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I THINK SCHOOLS -- MANY SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO USE THEM IN THE LEARNING PROCESS. >> I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT THE CELL PHONE CHOICE FOR MY FAMILY WAS BASED ON SAFETY. WHERE MY CHILD WAS GOING TO BE AFTER SCHOOL, EVENTS THAT HE WAS ATTENDING, AND HE HAS JUST THE REGULAR CELL PHONE, NOT AN IPHONE, I THINK THERE IS A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN A CHILD HAVING ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE A TELEPHONE CALL. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. WE ALSO HAVE SEMINARS THAT ARE ARCHIVED ABOUT CYBERSAFETY. AND DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT YOUR CHILD IS READY FOR THAT RESPONSIBILITY. BECAUSE CHILDREN TODAY HAVE SO MUCH MORE ACCESS TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM THAN WHAT WE ARE PROBABLY AWARE OF BECAUSE WE WERE NOT BROUGHT UP IN THIS TECH. NO AGE. AND IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILD TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE THEY EMOTIONALLY AND SOCIALLY READY FOR. IT CAN BE A HARD LESSON TO LEARN IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARED. >> CAN I SAY ONE THING QUICKLY TOO ABOUT THIS PHONE. THIS SPEAK-UP GROUP, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE GROUP. IT'S A SURVEY DONE ANNUALLY MUCH AND IT'S A VERY POWERFUL -- IT'S ABOUT TECHNOLOGY USE. AND IT'S -- TAKE A LOOK AT THE ARCHIVES. YOU COULD FIND FINDINGS RELATED TO HOW KIDS FEEL ABOUT CELL PHONE USE, HOW PARENTS FEEL, TEACHERS, SCHOOLS. IT'S A GREAT DATABASE FOR THAT FURTHER INFORMATION. THERE WAS ONE BACK HERE, I THINK. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I AGREE. MY CHOICE IN DECIDING WHETHER TO GET MY SON A CELL PHONE WAS BASED ON SAFETY. WE JUST HAD THAT LAST STORM. FOR HIM TO CALL ME FROM THE BUS AND SAY HE WAS SAFE. THAT EASED MINEVERS. WHAT I DID, GOT -- EASED MY NERVES. I GOT A PAY AS YOU GO PHONE. IF HE LOST THAT, THEY BE HE WAS NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING ELSE. THAT WILL HELP ME MAKE THE DECISION ON HIS BIRTHDAY TO GET HIM AN ACTUAL PHONE. >> PLEASE. >> ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, FACEBOOK, YOU SAID THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. I HEARD OTHER PEOPLE SAY KIDS COULD GET VERY VICIOUS. IT USED TO BE IN THE OLD DAYS, IT WOULD BE SLANG BOOKS. NOW KIDS CAN WRITE ON FACEBOOK. I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU FELT KIDS ACCESSING FACEBOOK, ARE THEY KEPT FROM -- SHOULD THEY BE KEPT FROM LOOKING AT FACEBOOK WHEN PEOPLE WRITE SO MANY CRUMMY THINGS? >> A GREAT QUESTION. IT GETS BACK TO THE CELL PHONE QUESTION, TOO. IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, I WOULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO USE IT IN THE CLASSROOM THAT WOULD MAKE IT POSITIVE. I KNOW LOTS OF TEACHERS THAT USE -- WHO HAVE DEVELOPED A FACEBOOK GROUP FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS AND USE IT FOR POSTING ASSIGNMENTS, FOR CONVERSATION ABOUT BOOKS, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OF THAT RIGHT NOW. SO I GUESS I WOULD FREE TO SOME -- AGREE TO SOME POINT. UNTIL WE HAVE MORE AND MORE TEACHERS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS KIND OF WITH THESE BEST PRACTICES, WITH THESE KIND OF SOCIAL TOOLS -- RIGHT NOW, IT'S STILL AT THE VERY NASCENT STAGE. BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT USED MORE BECAUSE I THINK IF IT'S USED MORE FOR THAT, IF IT'S USED MORE FOR THE LEARNING PROCESS, IT MAY -- IT MAY SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THE OTHER KIND OF SILLINESS GOING ON, WHICH SILLINESS IS TOO LIGHT OF A WORD, WHICH CAN WE INCREDIBLY HURTFUL, IS REALLY NOT PART OF THAT. THAT WE'RE USING THIS FOR LEARNING. WE'RE NOT USING IT FOR THAT. >> OKAY. >> IT'S 1:00. AND I PROBABLY HAVE TO STOP. BUT I WILL STAY HERE OFF CAMERA AND TALK OR ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. I'D BE SURIOUS IF MY TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THOUGHT I WAS AT ALL ON TRACK. THEY'RE THE BEST AUDIENCE FOR ME. BUT I THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE, AS I SAID, I'LL BE HERE -- THERE IS A SURVEY THAT IS, I THINK -- IS IT THE BLUE SHEET, I THINK? IF YOU COULD FILL THAT OUT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND FEEL FREE TO TALK WITH ME AFTER THIS OR PING ME ANY OF THE WAYS I CAN BE PINGED IN THIS INTERNET DAY AND AGE. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THESE SEMINARS AS WELL AS THE BULLYING ONE WE DID TWO WEEKS AGO WILL BE ARCHIVED ON THE NIH WEBSITE. SO PLEASE CHECK OUT SOME PREVIOUS ONES WE'VE DONE ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TEENAGERS. THANK YOU.