Interdisciplinary Teaming in the Middle Level School : Creating a Sense of Belonging for At-Risk Middle Level Students / Joanne M. Arhar and Jeffrey D. Kromrey.

This document describes a study that examined several factors to determine their influence on student social bonding to school, to peers, and to teachers. The study focused on factors related to students' personal and social backgrounds, school organization, and students' relationships with teachers and peers. Specifically, the researchers sought to determine the extent to which particular demographic and organizational characteristics of middle level schools as well as demographic characteristics of middle level students influence student social bonding. Characteristics examined include the student's racial or ethnic group, socio-economic status (SES), and family composition, SES of the school, and the relationship of school organization (teamed and non-teamed) to student social bonding. The study was guided by four questions: (1) Does a student's ethnic group, family SES, and family composition have an effect on middle level student social bonding to peers, to teachers, and to school? (2) Does school organization (teachers and students organized into interdisciplinary teams or traditional nonteamed situations) affect student social bonding? (3) Is there an interaction between student characteristics associated with educational disadvantage and school organization (teamed or nonteamed)? and (4) Does the SES of the school affect the relationship between social bonding and the other explanatory factors? The study suggests that interdisciplinary teaming appears to have the strongest impact on student teacher relationships in low SES schools. Organizing teachers into interdisciplinary teams provides conditions that may reduce the alienation of teachers. Empowered, supported teachers are more likely to provide support for their students. (DK)

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