https://middlegradescollaborative.org/institute/

This three-credit course is part of the annual Middle Grades Institute (MGI) hosted by the Middle Grades Collaborative. MGI prepares individuals, teams, and schools to implement remote and face-to-face learning environments that respond to students’ needs, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice. Topics include learners’ needs in relation to equity, personalization, trauma-informed practice, social-emotional learning, restorative practice, social justice and more. Course standards include the following Vermont Agency of Education Middle Grades Teaching Endorsement Competencies: 3.1. Concepts & Theories Understand the major concepts and theories underlying the foundations of culturally and developmentally responsive middle grades programs. 3.2. Democratic Governance Empower students with agency and choice in the governance of their learning environment. 3.3. Research Understand the research about and practices of interdisciplinary teaming, advisory programs, flexible grouping, flexible and personalized scheduling, and common teacher planning time. 5.2. Family Engagement Understand and value the ways diverse family structures and cultural backgrounds influence and enrich learning, and communicate and collaborate with all family members to build positive, collaborative relationships with families from diverse cultures and backgrounds. 5.5 Dispositions Are collaborative learners who demonstrate and model ethical behavior, knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their practice. Students must register first through https://middlegradescollaborative.org/

This year MGI will be fully virtual, with both synchronous and asynchronous learning time. During the course, students will set personalized goals related to the course standards and design a pathway to achieve those goals. Learning opportunities include team time, facilitated workshops, small group discussions, one-on-one consultations, self-paced modules, and consultations with middle school learners. Over the course of MGI, students will construct a portfolio documenting their learning in relation to the Vermont Agency of Education Middle Grades Teaching Endorsement Competencies.

Grades are based on attendance, participation, and the final portfolio. In the portfolio, students will 1) set goals for MGI that reflect the Vermont Agency of Education Middle Grades Teaching Endorsement Competencies for this course; 2) design an action plan to address those goals by consulting with MGI facilitators and accessing MGI resources; 3) post and reflect on evidence of learning those goals during MGI; 4) create and implement an action research project that addresses at least one goal and MGI Standard; and 5) share the results of the action research project at the MGC conference.