ABSTRACT
For more than 100 years, there have been differing views in the United States on how best to meet the educational needs of the young adolescent. Various models have been proposed to reorganize schools, leading to the junior high schools of the early 1900s and eventually the middle school model that is commonplace today. Each proposed model was implemented to varying degrees, and each model has experienced a period of dissatisfaction with its outcomes. While there is general consensus that young adolescents are unique and require an educational experience different from elementary and secondary school, educators have not fully embraced a common approach to educating the 10 to 15 year-old child. This chapter includes an historical analysis of prominent literature, frameworks, and recommendations. By building on the foundational and historically significant ideas of the past while considering the new realities of education, this chapter identifies the salient aspects of the education of the young adolescent that are relevant for 21st century schools and recommends “next steps” to enhance the educational experiences of middle grades students.
