National Association of Professors of Middle Level Education
http://www.napomle.org/
The
purposes of the organization are to:
§ Provide a professional
network to enhance the exchange of information and ideas, as well as, to
encourage the discussion of topics related to the preparation of middle level
educators,
§ Contribute to the
development of an expanded middle level research base, and provide additional
means for sharing and disseminating current research and ideas among those
interested in middle level education,
§ Serve actively as
advocates for the middle school movement, especially in terms of promoting
middle level concepts among various publics commonly dealt with in the
preparation of middle level educators, and
§ Share in the advocacy for
the middle school movement by supporting the stated purposes and goals of the National Middle School
Association.
NAPOMLE
also publishes a journal, Current Issues in Middle Level Education.
Articles in the journal regularly focus on best teaching practices in colleges
and universities, school-university partnerships, and other topics of interest
to faculty.
HISTORY
The
National Association of Professors of Middle Level Education (NAPOMLE) was
chartered on October 28, 1997 as the 55th affiliate of the National Middle
School Association (NMSA). The charter was signed by 56 middle level professors
from across the nation, and listed the following as charter institutional
members: Clark Atlanta University, Georgia Southwestern University, Clayton
State University (GA), Valdosta State University, Miami University (OH),
Georgia College and State University, University of Wisconsin at Platteville,
Phillips University, the University of Cincinnati, the College of Charleston,
Southeast Missouri State University, Bridgewater State College (MA),
Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago), State University of West Georgia,
and Georgia Southern University. John Lounsbury was the first to sign, and
added the signature of William Alexander (deceased) in remembrance of one of
the other founders of the middle school movement.
While the
creation of NAPOMLE occurred as a result of collaboration among a group of
middle level professors from across the nation, it evolved from an association
that existed more than a decade before in Georgia, the Georgia Professors of
Middle Level Education, established by John Lounsbury, Jay Hertzog, and others.
Both organizations were established to provide a forum for middle level
educators to share information and ideas, and to network with one another to
the benefit of the middle grades movement. A steering committee was formed
which developed a Constitution and Bylaws based on a model provided by NMSA,
and application was made for affiliate status. Upon approval of the charter in
1997, John Myers of the State University of West Georgia was elected as first
president of the association.
by John Myers and Barbara R. Blackburn
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