Abstract

This instrumental case study examined the perspectives of 43 middle school administrators on effective middle level education in central Alberta, Canada. Their views on the middle school concept, effective middle level leadership, and effective teaching were obtained through an online questionnaire and six focus group interviews, using an explanatory sequential design. The analysis of school administrator perspectives generated five integrated findings pertaining to middle level education: teaming and developmentally responsive practices are essential to middle level education; curriculum integration and advisory are less important and prevalent; effective beginning middle school teachers should develop professional knowledge and skills, including an ability to create learner-centred, inclusive environments; effective beginning middle school teachers should possess certain dispositions, especially those that promote positive, productive relationships; middle school administrators viewed their role as helping young adolescents transition from elementary to high school; and middle school leaders foster effective middle level education through shared vision, collaboration, personnel, and relationships. The synthesis of the findings led to three conclusions related to teaching competencies, leadership competencies, and effective middle level education: middle level teachers should be caring, developmentally responsive team players who can use instructional strategies, classroom management, and differentiation skills to meet students’ needs in inclusive, learner-centred classrooms; school leaders should understand young adolescence as a unique developmental stage in order to support the transition of 10 to 15-year-olds through the middle grades; and responsiveness and relationships were found to be essential to effective middle level education. This study has implications for middle level leadership and middle level teacher preparation and provides 22 recommendations for local, provincial, national, and international middle level education stakeholders.