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##  Exploratory Curriculum in the Middle School. ERIC Digest.                    

Exploration of students' "specialized interests, aptitudes, and                 abilities as a basis for decisions regarding educational                        opportunities" and vocational decisions was long ago identified as              one of the essential functions of the junior high school (Gruhn &               Douglass, 1947, pp. 31-32). In 1995, the National Middle School                 Association (NMSA) reaffirmed the importance of exploration, calling            for a "curriculum that is challenging, integrative, and                         exploratory" (1995, pp. 20-24). In both instances, exploration was              meant to apply to the entire curriculum. In practice, in the junior             high school and especially in the middle level school, the goal of              exploration has been interpreted most often as a set of                         separate "exploratory" courses such as art, music, technology, and              family and consumer science (George, 2000/2001). Many schools also              include clubs, activities, and mini-courses under the exploratory               banner. 
Exploration is important for young adolescents because it             ensures hands-on, participatory, meaningful, and engaging                       experiences. It has endured because it meets the most fundamental of            middle level concepts-it is developmentally responsive and                      academically challenging. While many books on middle level education            speak favorably about exploratory courses as a key component in                 middle level schools, the research on most aspects of "exploration"             is sparse, focusing on frequency of offerings rather than on student            or teacher responses to programs (Bergman, 1992). THE ROLE OF                 EXPLORATORY CURRICULUMThe middle school curriculum has                      traditionally included both core and exploratory courses. Core                  courses generally include language arts, social studies, science,               mathematics, and sometimes reading. Exploratory courses such as                 drama, foreign language, music, art, health, life skills, and                   technology provide young adolescents with experiences in areas                  beyond the core subjects. In some schools, exploratory courses and              experiences are simply referred to as "exploratories"; in others,               they are called related arts, allied arts, unified arts, encore                 courses (to distinguish them from core courses), or specials. 
For             many students, middle school may be the last opportunity to explore             new subjects and interests, the last time to learn to play the                  flute, learn to speak Spanish, or learn to cook a new                           dish. 
Another benefit for many students is that exploratory                   courses such as art, drama, and technology actively engage students,            allowing them to learn new skills and try out new ways of thinking.             The purpose of exploratory courses, whatever the label and whatever             the content, is to offer wide-ranging opportunities and experiences             that students would not otherwise have. EXPLORATION ACROSS THE                CURRICULUMWhile many schools have focused on exploration through            separate classes, mini-courses, activity programs, and other student            activities, some schools have made their entire curriculum                      exploratory. An NMSA position paper (1995, pp. 23-24) states that               there are three earmarks of an exploratory program. First, an                   exploratory program enables students to discover their particular               abilities, talents, interests, values, and preferences. This                    self-knowledge helps students to prepare for adult life, not only in            terms of vocation, but also as family members and citizens. Second,             courses and activities are taught so as to reveal opportunities for             making contributions to society. Finally, exploratory experiences               acquaint students with enriching, healthy leisure-time pursuits,                such as lifetime physical activities, involvement in the arts, and              social service. Looked at in this way, opportunities exist for all              areas of the middle level curriculum to be                                      exploratory. EXPLORATORY COURSES--OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIESIn             some schools, exploratory offerings are holdovers from vocational               training days-home economics and industrial arts, as well as art and            a foreign language (Van Til et al., 1967). In other schools, these              types of courses may be combined with other special courses or                  activities into an activity period including short or mini-courses.             Offerings such as line dancing, calligraphy, soccer, and board                  games, which are used as a way to break up the academic day, give               students an opportunity to work with peers and teachers (and                    sometimes parents or community volunteers) and give both teachers               and students chances to work in areas of high interest to each. In              other schools, more academically focused courses such as creative               writing, mythology, or public speaking are offered outside the                  regular day and are included as exploratory offerings. Still other              schools develop extensive classes such as "create a museum" and                 the "art of living" that complement a school's regular                          curriculum (Wayne, 2000). 
Exploratory programs are varied in two              other key ways-who selects the exploratory offerings and how long               they last. Some schools encourage students to select from different             options, some have required electives with little or no choice, and             some work to gradually introduce choice to students as they progress            through their middle school years. Length of time for each of these             options varies as well. Some schools may offer and some students may            choose short courses meeting once or twice a week; others may elect             a course for a trimester or semester and then switch for the next               term. Some schools devote an entire day to exploratory activities               once a month (Epstein & Mac Iver, 1990). ISSUES IN IMPLEMENTING               EXPLORATORY CURRICULUMTeachers have concerns about how                      exploratory courses relate to other core courses, how core and                  exploratory teachers communicate, and how or whether to grade                   exploratories. What exploratory courses should be offered? How do               exploratory courses support core courses, and how do core courses               support exploratory courses? In short, what should constitute the               middle school curriculum? Too often, in their zeal to offer a wide              variety of courses, administrators and teachers offer too many                  different courses for short time periods, which result in students              being "exposed" but leaving little time for true exploration of a               subject. To combat this problem, some schools focus on fewer courses            for longer periods of time. 
Another problem is the lack of                    communication and collaboration between core and exploratory                    teachers. Since exploratory teachers most often form their own                  teams, they may be excluded from essential decision making and                  discussions by the academic teams. Doda and George (1999) suggest               options through extended teams where exploratory teachers serve as              representatives on academic teams, rotating team connections,                   core-exploratory liaisons, and connections through homebase/advisory            alliances. 
Should exploratory courses/experiences be graded? Some             teachers think that grades do not support the exploratory nature of             the experience and may inhibit students' willingness to try new                 experiences. Unfortunately, some students and parents subscribe to              the idea that without a grade, an exploratory course has little                 value. Some middle schools include exploratory courses in grade                 averages while others do not, because they feel not including                   exploratory course grades promotes more non-threatening                         participation in new experiences. With more emphasis on state and               national standards, high-stakes testing, and assessment, nearly                 every middle school is feeling pressure to use its time to optimum              advantage. At the middle level, this pressure often translates into             fewer exploratory courses or new "exploratory" courses that offer               less exploration and look more like the usual school                            subjects (Jackson & Davis, 2000). FUTURE DIRECTIONSExploratory            experiences in middle schools are more important than ever for young            adolescents. The current emphasis on standards and testing should               not limit students' opportunities to pursue varied interests and                build on their strengths. Given current expectations and conditions             in middle schools, there are at least three major directions for                middle schools in regard to exploratory curriculum: 
*  Articulate             more clearly how exploratory courses are an integral and critical               part of the middle school curriculum. In many schools, the role and             purpose of exploratory curricula are not understood even by a                   school's faculty and students. The exploratory function is too often            viewed as an extra, taking away from the core curriculum. 
* Ensure            that everyone understands that exploratory and academic are                     complementary, not competing or opposing concepts. Exploratory                  courses or activities engage students in ways that core courses                 often do not. Certainly, a middle school curriculum that is totally             exploratory-allowing students wide options from which to choose,                different ways to view the world, and various opportunities to                  succeed-goes a long way to meet the needs of young adolescents. 
*             Align exploratory offerings more closely with the regular                       curriculum. Beane's (1993) suggestions for an integrative curriculum            arising from students' questions and concerns about themselves and              the larger world suggest a way to effectively and meaningfully                  integrate both core and exploratory offerings. For example, when                students identify saving the environment as a focus for study,                  exploratory areas like health, technology, and art become part of               the overall curriculum, joining language arts and science as tools              to explore this complex issue. CONCLUSIONMiddle schools                   continue to embrace exploration as a guiding principle across the               school curriculum. The importance of exploratory experiences in the             middle school curriculum is supported by both practitioners and the             limited research available. Where the middle school curriculum                  becomes more integrated and less subject centered, exploratory                  experiences play a pivotal role, as they are integrated into every              aspect of schooling. Even in separate subject contexts, exploratory             courses provide students with meaningful learning that directly                 relates to their known need for a wide variety of experiences. FOR            MORE INFORMATIONBeane, J. (1993). A MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM:               FROM RHETORIC TO REALITY. Columbus, OH: National Middle School                  Association. 
Bergman, S. (1992). Exploratory programs in middle               level schools: A responsive idea. In J. Irvin (Ed.), TRANSFORMING               MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION (pp. 179-192). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. ED               354 598. 
Compton, M. F., & Hawn, H. C. (1993). EXPLORATION: THE               TOTAL CURRICULUM. Columbus, OH: National Middle School                          Association. 
Doda, N., & George, P. (1999). Building whole middle             school communities: Closing the gap between exploratory and core.               MIDDLE SCHOOL JOURNAL, 30(5), 32-39. 
Epstein, J., & Mac Iver,                 D. (1990). EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE GRADES: AN OVERVIEW OF NATIONAL              PRACTICES AND TRENDS. Columbus, OH: National Middle School                      Association. 
George, P. (2000/2001). The evolution of middle                  schools. EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP, 58(4), 40-44. 
Gruhn, W. T., &                Douglass, H. R. (1947, 1956, 1971). THE MODERN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.              New York: Ronald Press. 
Jackson, A., & Davis, G. (2000). TURNING              POINTS 2000--EDUCATING ADOLESCENTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. New York:               Teachers College Press. 
National Middle School                                Association. (1995). THIS WE BELIEVE: DEVELOPMENTALLY RESPONSIVE                MIDDLE LEVEL SCHOOLS. Columbus, OH: Author. ED 390 546. 
Van Til,              C., Vars, G., & Lounsbury, J. (1967). MODERN EDUCATION FOR THE                  JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (2nd ed.). Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. 
Wayne,             B. (2000). Spotlight on exploratory courses. MIDDLE GROUND, 3(5),               33-37. 
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All ERIC/EECE Digests are available free in original              printed form directly from the clearinghouse. For additional                    information on this topic, please contact ERIC/EECE directly at                 [email protected] or 1-800-583-4135.                                         **Title:** Exploratory Curriculum in the Middle School. ERIC Digest.                    **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Descriptors:** Adolescent Development, Core Curriculum,  Curriculum Development,                Discovery Learning, Integrated Curriculum,  Middle School Students,             Middle Schools, Program Descriptions, Program Design                        **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests                                                                 
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