An Integrated Approach to the teahing of integrated Studies/Design and Creative Writing in Middle School

Abstract

After spending seven years in Middle School work and being involved in the teaching of Design for a considerable amount of time, I found it a refreshing change to be given the opportunity of being a year co-ordinator. Leading a team of three class teachers and four classes of eleven year olds involved several changes to my usual specialist timetable. Whereas previously I had taught all the Design to ten, eleven and twelve year olds, I now found that my Design classes were confined to my own year (third year) and consisted of four 2Y2 hour periods; one period per class. For the rest of the time, I was involved in the teaching of Integrated Studies, Language and Mathematics.

As head of Design my aims and objectives had been clearly defined. In my new appointment, I found such close links between Integrated Studies, Creative Writing and Design that I felt the strong motivating force they provided should be utilised fully. There are clearly some who have used 'integration' as a bandwagon instead of the highly structured and well organised approach it has to be. I had every intention of fulfilling my aims and objectives using this approach, as I had done previously, but hopefully with better results.