Introduction to Middle School

Introduction to Middle School SARA DAVIS POWELL 2005 PRENTICE HALL, SADDLE BACK RIVER, NJ $33.75 ISBN 0-13-060090-3 The title, Introduction to Middle School, may not be movie material, but the book is an exciting contribution to middle school teacher education. Sara Davis Powell, Associate Professor at the College of Charleston, has produced a middle school education book that thankfully changes the image of the "survey text." Authors of survey texts in education have the awesome challenge of condensing the complex dimensions and nuances of a field of study into a readable package that provides a solid overview in a format that is understandable to the novice. The ideal survey text used the conceptual framework in an area of study as an organizer, and then skillfully weaves together current trends with examples of best practice. All too often, such texts either emphasize theory without relating it to practice, or merely accumulate activities and examples without linking them to a theoretical framework. Powell has done a magnificent job of linking both theory and practice. The twelve chapter book is organized around the essential elements of middle school education. Major concepts such as the nature of the middle school learner, diversity concerns, middle grades curriculum, instructional planning, assessment, parent/community involvement and classroom management all receive careful attention. What makes this text outstanding, however, are the features that go beyond the traditional. In addition to the time-honored topics, Powell has included an excellent chapter titled "Middle Level Teachers." She describes the importance of teachers as learners, as well as the reality of what it means to be a teacher from a personal as well as a community perspective. Brief vignettes of teachers are introduced and are utilized throughout the book. Powell also takes the traditional topic of middle school organization and creatively expands it by devoting a chapter to "Structures of the Middle school." She discusses structures of time (scheduling options), place (basics of classroom setup) and people (teaming, grouping and advisory). Introduction to Middle School has a fresh and engaging feel that is seldom found in survey texts. Powell creates a sense of realism throughout the book by introducing readers to eight teachers and ten students, complete with pictures, who are used to illustrate concepts and pose questions in each chapter. …