On the Same Page

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Communications from the Director

On the Same Page: Learning Differences—From the Middle

November 1, 2005
David W. Magill, Director

There is remarkable consistency when people speak or write about the middle school years. Amazing, challenging, interesting, emotional, and hormonal are but a few of the adjectives describing the students in this three- to four-year phase of their lives.

Middle schools are a relatively new phenomenon (early seventies) in the history of American education. Like most well-intentioned ideas, they have been under attack in recent years because national student achievement has not shown much improvement since standardized testing became our country's most popular measuring stick. It is also at this developmental level when American students fall behind in a number of international measurements.

Predictably, school systems are attempting to "fix" middle schools by changing the grade configuration. One of the most popular attempts is a return to the K-8 community school, which predates the junior highs that many in my generation attended. Often, what goes around, comes around!

In reality, the best of middle school education is much less about the actual grade configuration of the school than it is about supporting the academic, social, and emotional needs of the emerging adolescent. It is about finding people who love interacting with children about to become young adults. It is about keeping the wonder of learning fresh and challenging as the curricular content becomes more complex. It is about helping students stay grounded while everything in their adolescent world is changing.

This is not an easy assignment but it can be so deeply satisfying. Particularly satisfying is helping students with learning differences navigate through these years. With the right guidance, patience, understanding, and reasonable accommodations, most of our Middle School students do indeed finish Middle School and enter University High School.

This month, I have asked our Middle School Learning Team, Susan Eisenberg and Maureen Schmidt, to talk about the process of acknowledging learning differences in our Middle School.

Middle School: A Time of Great Change

Susan Eisenberg, Middle School Learning Consultant
Maureen Schmidt, Middle School Learning Specialist

Those of us in the Middle School are truly in the middle. In four short years we journey with our students as they undergo the second greatest period of physical growth in their lifespan. Students entering fifth grade weigh, on average, sixty pounds and leave eighth grade weighing one hundred thirty pounds; they gain a foot in height during this time. For all middle school students this is an exciting, complicated, and confusing time. For students with learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD, the middle school experience can be especially difficult. Students face increases in the volume and complexity of academic work, and with this comes the need for more sophisticated organizational abilities.

Students entering fifth grade with a history of learning difficulties frequently feel some anxiety and a sense of shame. These young students are not yet clear about their learning strengths and challenges. We stress and believe that we all learn differently and that we all struggle in some ways. By experiencing enough academic success, they see for themselves how their strengths can help them overcome their "glitches." This knowledge eventually leads them from a sense of shame and a lack of understanding to self-acceptance and, eventually, to self-advocacy. It is extremely important that these goals be accomplished but not only for academic success. Because research shows that these students are at increased risk for depression, drug abuse, and other psychological disorders, it is important that students receive the appropriate help and support.

Often, we are in awe that our Middle School students demonstrate creativity, resilience, and the drive to succeed, despite daily struggles in school. We hope they take the awareness and self-advocacy skills they've learned to make the next leg of their journey easier and even more successful.

It Begins with a Meeting in May
The Middle School Guidance and Learning team gathers significant information from the Lower School about students coming into fifth grade who have been evaluated or have received special attention. We carefully review their files that are transferred to us. At the same time, each of the fourth grade teachers meets with the Middle School Administrative Team to describe every entering fifth grade student. By the time the new Middle School students arrive in September, we already have learned important information about them.

During the summer we contact Middle School parents of students who have been evaluated by mailing a Release of Information form and a questionnaire about their child's home life, interests, and the parents' concerns. A list of pertinent websites and/or other tips for parents is also included.

During Planning Week, teachers receive confidential information about those students who have been evaluated, what accommodations they are entitled to receive, a profile of the students' learning strengths and challenges, and suggested classroom strategies.

It's Truly a Team Effort
The Middle School faculty is dedicated to helping students with learning differences. In fact, faculty members are often the first to notice any learning difficulties. Our Middle School Guidance and Learning team works closely with the teaching staff, administration, counselors, outside professionals, and parents to make the connections that are critical for student success.

Students with learning disabilities are carefully monitored by a team of adults at weekly grade level meetings, team meetings, administrative meetings, and meetings with counselors. In addition, when appropriate, students are involved in meetings with the support team. These meetings generate strategies and corrective actions that students, parents, teachers, and outside professionals can implement. Also, students' academic progress is tracked at regular intervals throughout the year so that we can discover academic concerns as soon as possible. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a student is not successful at Lab. We help the parents in their search for other schools that might provide a better fit.

Other Components
Some learning disabilities do not reveal themselves until the student faces the greater academic demands of Middle School. If a student has an evaluation while in Middle School, it is sent to Lab Schools' independent consultant to determine what types of accommodations are appropriate and fair. Then, a staffing is held with parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, and outside professionals to present the results and to talk about ways to improve school performance. If a student has been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, we will gather rating scales from teachers to supply objective data for the child's physician to assist in monitoring treatment.

Sometimes a student's learning disability affects his/her ability to learn a foreign language. If this is documented in their evaluation, and the student is struggling in other classes, we can offer a study skills class in lieu of taking a foreign language. This, however, is not a common occurrence, and happens only with the approval of the foreign language teacher, the head of the foreign language department, the principal, the parents, and the student. The study skills program offers support for school curriculum, but not remediation.

Various types of tutors are recommended to support our students with learning disabilities. Some of our tutors are professionals with degrees in learning disabilities, while others serve as general subject area tutors. In addition to these services, some students benefit from having a homework buddy who is a strong student at University High School and who is selected because of good organizational and interpersonal skills. This buddy works frequently with the Middle School student to support and review daily homework and test preparation. Although tutors charge a range of fees, private tutoring fees are usually at the family's expense.

It Ends with a Meeting in May
Even the "middle" has a beginning, middle, and an end. Once again in May, our Guidance and Learning team gathers to meet with the team in University High School. We present the detailed profiles of all our students moving into ninth grade who have been evaluated or have received special attention in Middle School and transfer our files to University High School. In addition, the Middle School administrative team meets with the High School Counselors to discuss every student who is coming into ninth grade. By the time the new ninth grade students arrive in September, the High School Counselors have already learned important information about them.