​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Implications​ ​for​ ​Practice

Middle​ ​School​ ​students​ ​find​ ​themselves​ ​in​ ​a​ ​beautiful,​ ​yet​ ​confusing​ ​stage​ ​of
their​ ​lives.​ ​Principals​ ​and​ ​educators​ ​have​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​and​ ​responsibility​ ​of​ ​seeing
who​ ​our​ ​students​ ​can​ ​become​ ​and​ ​eliciting​ ​the​ ​bright​ ​future​ ​that​ ​is​ ​within​ ​them.​ ​By
diving​ ​into​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​and​ ​development​ ​of​ ​middle​ ​school​ ​students,​ ​we​ ​found​ ​several​ ​key
learnings:

1. ​Adolescents​ ​undergo​ ​substantial​ ​physical,​ ​cognitive,​ ​and​ ​social​ ​changes​ ​during

middle​ ​school.
2. Adolescents​ ​need​ ​the​ ​support​ ​of​ ​adults​ ​(parents/guardians​ ​and​ ​teachers)​ ​as​ ​they
seek​ ​independence.
3. Developing​ ​a​ ​positive​ ​self-identity​ ​during​ ​middle​ ​school​ ​is​ ​critical​ ​to​ ​one’s​ ​future.

As​ ​future​ ​school​ ​leaders,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​imperative​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​those​ ​we​ ​serve,​ ​and​ ​we
believe​ ​this​ ​project​ ​provided​ ​greater​ ​clarity​ ​on​ ​how​ ​we​ ​can​ ​best​ ​serve​ ​as​ ​middle​ ​school
principals.​ ​Our​ ​learnings​ ​will​ ​primarily​ ​impact​ ​our​ ​leadership​ ​practice​ ​in​ ​the​ ​following
ways:

1. We​ ​will​ ​grow​ ​teachers​ ​to​ ​be​ ​culture​ ​builders​ ​who​ ​emphasize​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of
building​ ​a​ ​community​ ​of​ ​learners​ ​within​ ​their​ ​classrooms.​ ​In​ ​our​ ​middle​ ​school,
classrooms​ ​will​ ​be​ ​spaces​ ​that​ ​are​ ​centered​ ​around​ ​interdependence​ ​and​ ​group
learning.​ ​We​ ​want​ ​our​ ​students​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​their​ ​identities​ ​and​ ​experience
independence,​ ​but​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​where​ ​each​ ​student​ ​fosters​ ​and​ ​promotes​ ​the​ ​best​ ​in
themselves​ ​and​ ​their​ ​peers.

2. We​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a​ ​school​ ​that​ ​affirms​ ​and​ ​values​ ​students’​ ​identities​ ​and​ ​redirects
behaviors​ ​and​ ​decisions​ ​when​ ​necessary.​ ​Our​ ​students​ ​will​ ​know​ ​that​ ​we​ ​accept
all​ ​of​ ​who​ ​they​ ​are​ ​during​ ​this​ ​developmental​ ​life​ ​stage,​ ​but​ ​will​ ​correct​ ​behaviors
and​ ​actions​ ​that​ ​are​ ​misaligned​ ​to​ ​the​ ​community​ ​culture​ ​we​ ​have​ ​established.

3. We​ ​will​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​a​ ​gradual​ ​academic​ ​transition​ ​to​ ​middle​ ​school,​ ​accompanied​ ​by
explicit​ ​behavioral​ ​and​ ​academic​ ​expectations.