The stakes are high for middle schoolers as their personal development and academic growth during these years can dramatically impact their futures. The quality of students’ middle school experience substantially affects their overall sense of well-being and, in particular, their later chances for high school completion and post-secondary success. Put simply, creating successful middle schools is crucial for both the success of the individual and the success of society at large.

Decades of research tells us that young adolescents thrive when they have access to an education that is specifically designed to meet their unique developmental needs. That includes:

🧠 Challenging, age-appropriate curriculum
Teachers must understand students’ cognitive abilities in order to create a curriculum that is challenging and stimulates engagement rather than one that leads to frustration and disengagement.

🤝 Supportive relationships
Teachers who recognize students’ social-emotional needs are better equipped to build safe, caring, and trusting learning environments.

🌍 Responsive environments
Designing a learning environment, building relationships, and creating lessons that consider students’ developmental characteristics, along with being responsive to their social and cultural identities and experiences, are essential and enhance students’ academic and overall well-being.

➤For more on the essential attributes and characteristics of a middle grades school, consult The Successful Middle School: This We Believe.