Middle school Curriculum, History of

It is difficult to trace the history of middle school curriculum, for unlike other aspects of middle school practice and philosophy (e.g., interdisciplinary teaming, advisory programs, exploratory classes and projects, and flexible block scheduling), middle-level advocates have fallen short of creating and promoting a consistent and coherent form of middle-level curriculum. Although middle schools were created as a response to the perceived shortcomings of the junior high schools that preceded them (although junior highs continue to exist), middle schools have historically distinguished themselves by their administrative structures. Therefore, identifying a particular evolutionary path of a middle school curriculum is difficult at best. What is apparent is that a relatively small number of middle schools have been places where important departures from the dominant, high schooldriven, ...