Chapter 17: Moving the Middle Grades Curriculum into Our Dynamic World

Does this scenario look like any middle grades schools you know? Or, does it sound like a “fantastical” notion of what middle grades curriculum could be in the future? Can you determine what the curriculum is? If so, is this a curriculum that you would be interested in teaching, learning from, or studying? In this chapter, we will explore the middle grades curriculum that young adolescents need. We’ll look at where the middle grades curriculum has been, what it has looked like, what the experts say it should be, and why. Then we’ll consider a vision for the present and the future based on the 17 dimensions of the self-enhancing school (Beane & Lipka, 1986). Finally, we will explore the essential reasons why we must provide a progressive curriculum for young adolescents and how more schools can get there.