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Both schools were actually great schools. I did go in thinking Jardine would not be that great, but the administration and most of the teachers are so passionate and caring for the students. It is incredible. Derby was a great school as I expected. After this experience I do not want to go anywhere near a middle school, I still like the younger kids. Thanks!

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For this observation, I wanted to go to two different schools. I traveled to Derby Middle School and Jardine Middle School. These schools were both located in different economic areas and I wanted to see if there were any big differences between the two.

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Jardine pt. 2

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Jardine

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Derby

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A huge classroom schedule.

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This word jungle is so smart! It has advanced words with their spelling and definition.

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Derby

The most interesting experience at Derby was the "Teen Leadership" class. This class taught social situations, self-confidence, emotional intelligence, bullying and even more topic relating to the middle school age group. I thought this was an excellent class and was so useful for real life.

In one math class, I found it very interesting that the class did not have to take notes. There were only 6 students in class so the teacher had them help her while they learned the subject. They would go up to the board and fill in blanks while learning. It was very interactive.

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Jardine

I saw a para who was supposed to be helping a student, but the student was so reluctant to do work, she got the para distracted. So the para was sent out of the class in hopes of getting the student to focus.

In the 6th grade English class I observed, the teacher told me she encourages students to pick paper topics over interesting subjects and in this case the subject was natural disasters. The students worked quietly for the whole class period.

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I liked the atmosphere at both schools. The teachers lined the hallways during passing periods saying hi to all the students and talking to them. I would have enjoyed Jardine more if it had more decorations, but it was full of life (even at 7 AM!) Derby felt more relaxed and fun; they had a lot more decorations and colors.

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Most of the classes I observed at Jardine had students with intellectual disabilities. Because of this, some of the students in the classes were not nice to each other. I did see one student talk about how he did not want to work with another student because "he just sits there all class." In turn, I did see a lot of cooperation and close friendships at both middle schools.

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The biggest difference I noticed between Middle and Elementary is the lack of showing love and appreciation. Middle school kids acted as if they had something to prove, which I understand is due to puberty. The teachers did not get a lot of respect, in my opinion. None of the teachers I observed were bad or anything, so I think it has to do with the age group. They seemed to care more about their personal lives than listening and interacting with the teachers.

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I thought this poster was so cool and interactive! It clearly describes what the teacher wants students to learn and it's presented in a really cool way (using a roller coaster.)

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Derby: Derby Middle School felt more open. There were open windows allowing sunlight and all of the teachers were always saying hi, or in my case, asking me if I needed directions. I loved that some classes utilized alternative seating and no seating chart. Every student also had their own laptop, which seemed like a huge convenience for them and did not alter the learning experience.

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Jardine: The teaching and learning environment at Jardine felt like a traditional school. Most of the classrooms weren't as fun and bright, but the SPED classrooms were decorated with lamps and students' artwork. All the classrooms either had desks or tables for two. Seating and learning wise, it was mediocre.