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Appendix 3. Recommendations of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development
- State University of New York Press
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273 A P P E N D I X 3 Recommendations of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development Interestingly, rather than suggesting a reversion to K–8 schools, Simmons and Blyth (1987) made suggestions for ways middle schools could reduce negative outcomes and enhance development over the transition. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1989) took the conclusions of these authors and others to come up with the following list of recommendations for middle schools: 1. Large middle schools should be divided into smaller communities for learning, student and teacher teams, and an adult advisor for every student. 2. Middle-grades schools should transmit a core of knowledge to all students ; schools must teach young adolescents how to think critically, about healthy lifestyles, and skills for active citizenship. 3. Middle-grades schools should maximize opportunities for success, through cooperative learning, flexible scheduling, and new opportunities. 4. Teachers in middle grades should be specifically prepared to teach young adolescents, and must understand the developmental, cultural, and educational needs they bring. 5. Teachers should be able to influence curriculum decisions, should have roles on school governance and policy-making committees, and roles as instructional leaders for their peers. 6. Schools should be environments for health promotion, including access to health services specific to the needs of adolescents. They should encourage a healthy atmosphere through nutritional food, no smoking rules, alcohol and drug education, physical fitness programs, and school safety measures. 7. Families should be allied with school staff through mutually respectful and trusting relationships; parents should have roles in school governance and policy making, ways to be involved in their child’s education at home and at school, and access to all the information they need to help guide their child’s educational decisions. 8. Schools and communities should be linked in educating young adolescents . School-community partnerships should offer meaningful opportunities for community service, ensure access to mental and physical health and social services , encourage ways to supplement the education and support of middle school students, connect teachers and students to community resources, and expand career guidance for students. ...