Teaching in the middle school is especially difficult and demanding. Given the nature of young adolescents, middle level educators inevitably are involved in more than the acquisition of information. They must be cognizant of varied levels of development, existing attitudes, diverse cultures, and give sufficient attention to the non-cognitive aspects of student growth in order that the cognitive aspects can be achieved successfully. While the middle school movement in the last three decades has achieved remarkable success in developing schools that challenge and educate fully this unique group of students, much remains to be done. Based on recent research and analysis concerning this age group the following generalizations can serve as guideposts for deciding on ways that young adolescents might be served better by school, home, and community.
Early adolescence is a distinctive developmental stage of life.
The general public has limited understanding of these 10-15 year olds. The accelerated physical and personal development that occurs during this period is the greatest in the human life cycle and is marked by great variance in both the timing and rate of growth. They reach physical maturity at an earlier age than their grandparents and they acquire apparent sophistication earlier than in previous generations. They seek autonomy and independence. They are by nature explorers, curious and adventuresome.