Meet Me in the Middle: Chapter 2

Chapter two discussed the different ways to make lessons appeal to the middle school set, as motivation is a key component in effective and efficient learning. Making things fun through games, dramatics, movement, and being able to relate the lessons to the students' everyday lives are big ideas that the author suggests as 'tried and true' success stories. Another important but incredibly related point in the chapter is the necessity of a safe learning environment for students at all times.

This chapter spoke directly to me, as I definitely saw the importance of the safe and comfortable learning environment right away. A naturally shy individual, I have been known to spend September through May of a September through June school year being absolutely silent in classes because there was something that I wasn't 100% comfortable with (whether it was the other students, the material, the teacher, it could have been anything). For those of you who know me, most of the time I don't shut up. This still holds true in classes I'm taking now, and for teachers to make sure that their classroom is a fun and comfortable environment is key for successful learning AS WELL AS social development, which is also a phenomenon associated with the middle school set.