“Top Dog/Bottom Dog” Phenomenon
Important Links
The American Educational Research Journal recently published a study providing evidence that students attending K-8 schools benefit from what is being referred to as the “top dog/bottom dog (TDBD) phenomenon.” The study looked at the experiences of sixth-through eighth-graders in New York City schools with different grade spans: K-8 vs. 6-8 and 6-12. “Top dogs” are the older children in these grade spans, and “bottom dogs” are the younger children. This study underscores the value of the K-8 model and will make you feel even better about educating your child at the Immaculate Conception School. I hope you will take a moment to read the article and related news stories below.
Do Top Dogs Rule in Middle School? Evidence on Bullying Safety and Belonging.
American Educational Research Journal, September 14, 2016
Sixth Grade Is Tough. It Helps To Be ‘Top Dog’
NPR, September 19, 2016
Is Middle School Helping Or Harming Kids?
WPR, October 4, 2016
Shorter School Grade Spans Linked to Bullying
Education Week, October 4, 2016
Is Middle School Too Early for Students to Lose ‘Top Dog’ Status?
neaToday, September 27, 2016
The Benefit of Being the Big Kid on the Playground
The Atlantic, September 22, 2016
Traditional Middle Schools Could Actually Be Hurting Your Kids, Study Finds
Good Housekeeping, September 21, 2016
Chalkbeat, September 20, 2016
Schools With Wider Grade Spans Have Less Bullying, N.Y.C. Study Finds
Education Week, September 20, 2016
As if being 12-years-old wasn’t hard enough, a new study confirms many schools make it even harder
Quartz, September 20, 2016