Instructional Support: The Secret to Engaged Middle Schoolers

The middle school years are often defined by their challenges. From new social and academic pressures to intense physical growth and change, it becomes a time to survive rather than to grow meaningfully. 

When we treat middle school merely as a time to get through, we overlook one of the most critical developmental windows of a student’s life, and miss the opportunity to set students up for success in all areas. 

An instructional support curriculum can help schools bridge the gap between surviving and thriving, offering the tools, guidance, and instruction necessary to help students develop critical social and behavioral skills that will last a lifetime.

Under Development: The Adolescent Brain

Neurologically, early adolescence is the second most significant period of growth in a person’s life, surpassed only by infancy (Arain et al., 2013). During this time, the brain undergoes a massive reconstruction. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive function and long-term planning, is under rapid development. Simultaneously, information processing relies more heavily on the amygdala, the brain’s emotional center (Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, n.d.). This creates a developmental gap, where students now have greater emotional capacities but lack the mature inhibitory control needed to regulate intense impulses and feelings.

To successfully navigate this developmental period, students need to build and practice a specific set of skills that will enable them to regulate their emotions, make positive choices, communicate effectively and respectfully, and recognize others’ perspectives. These skills cannot be disciplined into existence; they must be taught.

From Behavior management to Skill Development

When students lack these skills, the signs are abundant: classroom disruptions, conflicts, and academic indifference, to name a few. An instructional support curriculum tailored for middle school will ensure students have the opportunity to explore, practice, and build skills that keep them on track for personal and interpersonal success, in and out of the classroom.

A Foundation for Academic and Life Success

When schools choose to implement an instructional support curriculum, they send a meaningful message to students, families, and even educators: We recognize that students’ developmental needs go beyond academics and are committed to helping them live successful, healthy lives. Social and behavioral skills provide a foundation of safety and support, preparing students to take academic risks and grow to their full potential.

Make This Your Reality with Fly Five

Fly Five is an instructional support curriculum designed to prepare students for success in grades K–12, with the developmental considerations of every stage, including middle school. 

Skills middle school students will build with Fly Five:

• Cooperation: Navigating complex group dynamics, learning to compromise without losing one’s voice, and contributing to a shared goal
• Assertiveness: Standing up for oneself and others, even in the face of peer pressure, and expressing needs and boundaries clearly and respectfully
• Responsibility: Taking ownership of personal choices and understanding how individual actions impact the broader school community
• Empathy: Seeing beyond one’s own perspective to understand the feelings and experiences of others
• Self-control: Managing overwhelming emotions and resisting impulsive reactions to make room for thoughtful, goal-oriented behavior

Fly Five is committed to supporting middle school students, educators, and families. Schedule a meeting with an Educational Partnership Consultant to learn more about how the Fly Five curriculum can make a transformative impact in your school or district.

References

Arain, M., Haque, M., Johal, L., Mathur, P., Nel, W., Rais, A., Sandhu, R., & Sharma, S. (2013). Maturation of the adolescent brain. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 9, 449–461. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S39776

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. (n.d.). Understanding the teen brain. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=understanding-the-teen-brain-1-3051