EDUC - 360. Early Adolescence and Middle School

3 credit(s)
Students will review narrative accounts of the school experiences of adolescents from diverse backgrounds. Their first task will be to consider how narrative, empirical, and theoretical knowledge provide different perspectives on understanding the school lives of adolescents. Then, they will examine how cultural canons about adolescence influence the many ways that young people live out their lives in school, with an emphasis on middle school years. They will review and interpret narrative accounts of schooling through fiction, autobiography, movies and self- reflection about adolescence. Students will not be “given the answers” or told what to think about adolescence and schooling. Rather, readings and class presentations will provide them with information and theoretical points of view which sometimes conflict. Ultimately, they will be asked to examine these multiple perspectives to create their own way of viewing adolescents in school settings. A twenty-hour field experience at the middle school or junior high school level is required (transportation is the responsibility of each student).

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