Children need stimulating classroom and autonomy.

In 1989, the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development released Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century, which indicated that the years between 10 and 15 are a crucial turning point for children. In 1991, the National School Readiness Task Force issued a report that emphasized the importance of children's physical health, self-confidence and social competence. Both the task force and Turning Points recommend the development of support systems that combine parental and school-based efforts.

All children need a stimulating and responsive classroom environment, and they need opportunities for autonomy--especially as they approach adolescence. A sense of autonomy provides the necessary foundation for creative and flexible thinking. These abilities help children resolve conflicts that may occur when interacting with peers, adults and their environment. A sense of autonomy also enables children to reflect upon and express their personal visions of the world.

The middle school years require a special teaching approach. Children's bodies and roles are changing. The whole interactive process should likewise change to reflect children's new levels of skills and needs.

An ecologically sound classroom can stimulate creative expression and trigger autonomous behavior. The proper interplay of space, light and aesthetically pleasing, age-appropriate furnishings in a physical environment can contribute to the development of ecologically synchronized children. Establishing small units of "houses" for early adolescents where they can retain familiar contacts with peers and authority figures may help autonomous, assertive, empathetic and socially responsive behavior.

The Carnegie Task Force recommendations include the following:

* Create small communities for learning where stable, close, mutually respectful relationships with adults and peers are considered fundamental for intellectual development and personal growth. The key elements of these communities are schools-within-schools or houses, students and teachers grouped together as teams and small group advisories that ensure every student is well known by at least one adult.

* Administer a core academic program that teaches students to be literate, think critically, behave ethically and assume the responsibilities of citizenship. Youth service is an essential part of this core academic program.

* Recognize the link between health and academic performance by providing a health coordinator in every middle grade school and access to health care and counseling services.

To ensure student success, teachers must be able to:

* identify factors that contribute to children's sense of autonomy

* analyze personal teaching styles to determine strengths and weaknesses

* identify children's learning styles and strengths and weaknesses by observing their interactions with peers, caregivers and the environment

* identify those factors in children's home environment that either contribute to, or block, development of autonomy and creativity

* eliminate bias and gender roles

* cooperate with support staff and members of interdisciplinary teams 

* recognize and value both cognitive and creative abilities

* define the many forms of creativity

* establish circumstances in which creative problem-solving skills can be taught and practiced

* provide materials and tasks that foster divergent thinking and production

* create a safe and reinforcing environment in which reflection and self-evaluation activities may flourish

* advocate for children so that their autonomous behavior is reinforced and valued in the home

* communicate with all parents as partners in the education process

* provide resources and insight into positive and culturally sensitive parenting strategies.

Mary McKnight-Taylor, VP, Later Childhood/Early Adolescence

References

National Task Force on School Readiness. (1991). Caring Communities: Supporting young children and families. Washington, DC: Author.

Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development. (1989). Turning points: Preparing American youth for the 21st century. Washington, DC: Author.