Jessica Wood
Standard Two Reflection Rationale
Standard 2: Middle Grades Philosophy and School Organization
Middle level teacher candidates understand and apply the philosophical foundations of
developmentally responsive middle level programs and schools and the organizational
structures that support young adolescent development.
Artifact 1: This We Believe Project
Topic/Title: This We Believe
Medium: Written Analysis
Artifact 2: Developmentally Responsive Middle School Project
Topic/Title: Mountaineer Middle School
Medium: PowerPoint Presentation
Artifact 3: Performance Summary
Topic/Title: Starchasers Team
Medium: Word Documents
Understanding the structural development of middle level programs applies to the
foundation of establishing a responsive environment for achieve young adolescent growth.
Middle level programs are unique from other programs because it focuses directly on young
adolescents. Recognizing the structure of these programs is imperative for teachers to
comprehend and apply to the philosophy of teaching young adolescents.
This We Believe is a key component in supporting the growth of young adolescents in
middle level education. For this analysis, my group and I interviewed supportive staff within the
educational system to understand their viewpoints of developing effective methods for
instructing young adolescent students. Our group interviewed teachers from various content
areas along with the school principal and counselor. It was informative to recognize the
variations of the philosophical beliefs each person had in what an ideal organizational structure
needed to support young adolescent development. Teachers shared the developmentally
responsive methods they used to practice their achievements in maximizing young adolescent
growth. The principal and counselor shared insight on their understanding of the decisions they
made for improving curriculum, instruction, and schooling for young adolescents. These
interviews improved our knowledge of the philosophies surrounding middle level programs.
From the lessons we learned from our This We Believe project, we were able to apply
them in designing an idealistic middle school environment. Artifact two was our
Developmentally Responsive Middle School project in which we developed and shared our own
philosophies of what a middle school environment should entail. Organizational components,
grading methods, advisory programs, and establishing family and community connections were
important components in achieving the best practicing methods for developing our middle level
structure. We felt our project advocated a developmentally responsive structure for fostering
adolescent growth. This project showed how important a successful interdisciplinary team is
needed to maximize student learning.
Jessica Wood
Standard Two Reflection Rationale
2
Artifact three shows how my personal performance of standard two assisted in my
comprehension of how interdisciplinary teams overcome obstacles. During my student teaching
experience, I learned the importance of promoting young adolescent health and wellness. With
my team, we understood the importance of advocating for young adolescents and their need for
recognition within the classroom. Identifying student behavior and cultural impacts found within
the school also assisted in our methods of approaching sensitive situations. By collaborating
with my team, we were able to effectively handle situations and apply appropriate methods of
achieving student growth. By using these practices, we were able to maximize student learning
and foster equitable educational practices.
In conclusion, these artifacts applied to my understanding of Appalachian State’s
standard of the middle grades philosophy and school organization. This We Believe was by far
the most informative in recognizing the philosophical foundations of middle level education
when making important decisions that affected student learning. I was able to apply the
knowledge I learned from these projects into my student teaching experience and provide
students a safe environment within the classroom.