A Look At Adolescence
• Teach a curriculum grounded in rigorous, public academic standards for what students should know and be able to do, relevant to the concerns of adolescents and based on how students learn best
• Use instructional methods designed to prepare all students to achieve higher standards and become lifelong learners
• Staff middle grades schools with teachers who are expert at teaching young adolescents, and engage in ongoing, targeted professional development opportunities
• Organize relationships for learning to create a climate of intellectual development and a caring community of shared purpose
• Govern democratically, through direct or representative participation by all school staff members, the adults who know the students best
• Provide a safe and healthy school environment as part of improving academic performance and developing caring and ethical citizens
• Involve parents and communities in supporting student learning and healthy development
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