Middle-Level Education: Implications for Vocational Education. A Position Paper from the Ad Hoc Middle School Task Force.

Overview & Synopsis

This monograph is designed to serve as a vision for guiding the future of vocational education at the middle level. Chapter 1, "Understanding Early Adolescents" (Frances Smith), provides an overview of early adolescent development as a basis for developing middle-level vocational education programs. Chapter 2, "Essential Elements of Middle-Level Education" (John Lounsbury), discusses 10 characteristics of a high quality middle school and the special role of vocational education. Chapter 3, "Exploring Life's Work: A New Role for Vocational Education" (Jerelyn Schultz), identifies basic beliefs that reflect fundamental convictions about vocational education at the middle school level. A proposed statement of the philosophy of vocational education at the middle level identifies what is most important for vocational education to be doing and forms a basis for future planning efforts. It then describes core concepts that should be integrated into the middle school curriculum to assist early adolescents in exploring life's work. Chapter 4, "Exploring Life's Work: Model Programs" (Mary Schumway), showcases middle-level vocational education curricula or models in three states: New York, Utah, and Wisconsin. Chapter 5, "Setting an Agenda for the Future: Challenges for Vocational Education" (N. L. McCaslin et al.), presents suggestions organized by national, state, and local actions. Belief statements, agendas, and other materials related to the education of young adolescents. (YLB)