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“An eye-opening view into the lives of tweens at school, chock full of fabulously frank kid commentary and permeated with priceless moments that give us a palpable feel for what it means to be a tween today. A poignant and important documentary for anyone working to help young adolescents thrive.”
— Denise Pope, Co-Founder Challenge Success
“Among many things of note, one that immediately stands out in ‘Untitled (The Middle School Documentary)’ is the unselfconscious diversity of staff and students. There is so much talk in the world about needing to create ‘learning opportunities,’ ‘dialogue’ and ‘compassion,’ all, of course, are greatly needed. But here, we are part of it happening – kids spontaneous and mindful of the other, sharing a physical comfort in each others’ presence and reveling in a reciprocity of leadership roles. To see this on the screen and knowing such a place exists, is to be inspired!”
— Ron Taffel, PhD Clinical Psychologist and Author
But students and teachers at Middle School 243 do not recognize this as true of their school. Why not?
Tim Holst, Middle School Teacher
UNTITLED offers a rare opportunity to observe teachers and tweens in action, and provides a window into an unconventional school that has been turning out academically successful students — who are flexible, confident, good at advocating for themselves, and good at collaborating with people different from themselves for over 35 years. An unexpected portrait of a world where adults:
In the face of increased home schooling, unschooling, and COVID driven remote learning, what school could be and should be is top of mind. But even before the current world pandemic, psychologists were seeing rising rates of anxiety and self harm in early adolescents and wondering whether traditional educational practices were helping or hurting the short and long term well being of adolescents. These mental health concerns, combined with the nationwide call for an end to institutionalized racism, tell us that we need the next generation of young adults to be both more connected to their true selves, accepting of others, skilled at collaboration, and comfortable functioning as part of a diverse community. “Untitled” shines a light one school that has been cultivating curious and resilient students, and fostering meaningful relationships across traditional societal boundaries of age, race, gender, and socio-economic background.
The challenges of early adolescence have existed throughout human history, but data indicates that anxiety, stress, and behavioral problems are on the rise for 10-14 year olds. Trends in American education towards standardization and metrics, extended school days and shortened breaks, may be working directly against students’ developmental needs.
As parents and educators struggle with how to best support the millions of students who attend 5-8th grade in the US public schools each year — scientists and social scientists are also on the case. Here are three examples of important work in the field.
In a ground breaking new book written by developmental psychology scholars and researchers, experts explore how dire our view of middle school is, how the reality seems to only be getting worse, and how simple the antidote might be by allowing kids to follow their natural instincts for connection.
“High rates of suspensions, detentions, stereotyping, bullying, and discrimination from peers and adults are typical and have even become how American society characterizes the middle school years.”
The invention of non-invasive brain imaging means that neuroscientists are now able to study the brains of living adolescents, when in the past they could only study brains from cadavers. Until recently it was believed that brain development was concentrated in the first six years of life, but we now know that the brain undergoes profound and fundamental reorganization during adolescence. The current question is why? These scientists make the important point that the adolescent brain is not an inadequate adult brain, but the perfect brain for what the organism needs to accomplish during this period of life.
“… the cognitive style typical of adolescence… may be optimally suited to the social developmental tasks facing the adolescent… adolescence should not be considered a state of deficient brain performance.”
“Brain Development During Adolescence” By K. Konrad, C. Firk, P. Uhlhaas June, 2013
Data scientists have identified a correlation between specific behaviors in Middle School that indicated a student was on a path to drop out of high school — allowing one middle school to reorganize resources to actively get specific students back on track.
“Nationwide, 7,000 students drop out every school day. In Middle School Moment, FRONTLINE reports on new evidence that suggests the make-or-break moment for high school dropouts may actually occur in middle school.”
Camilla Calamandrei – Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Award-winning director/producer of independent feature documentaries: The Tiger Next Door (Animal Planet), Prisoners in Paradise (PBS) and children’s media for The Jim Henson Company, LEGO, and Scholastic. Program Manager for Clinton Global Initiative (CGI America) and Head of Programs for Urban Green Council. MA, Documentary Film Production, Stanford University. BA, Literature, Brown University.
Bernadine Colish, Editor
Editor of numerous award-winning documentaries, including: Love, Cecil, Herb & Dorothy, Peggy Guggenheim, A Whale of a Tale, Bringing Tibet Home, Band of Sisters, The Tiger Next Door, Body of War, Rise and Dream, Absolute Wilson, The Buffalo War, Muslims, Beyond the Motor City, A Touch of Greatness, Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser, Toru Takemitsu: Music for the Movies, Ella Fitzgerald: Something To Live For.
Judith Helfand, Story Consultant
Award-winning filmmaker, best known for her ability to take the dark worlds of chemical exposure, heedless corporate behavior and environmental injustice and make them personal, highly-charged and entertaining. Three of her films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, with national broadcasts on PBS (POV), HBO and The Sundance Channel. Her films include The Uprising of ‘34, the Sundance award winning and 2X Emmy nominated Blue Vinyl, its Peabody Award-winning prequel A Healthy Baby Girl, and Everything’s Cool.
Niobe Way, PhD Consulting Subject Matter Expert, Child Development & Adolescence
Featured in David Brooks’ NY Times editorial column October 12, 2018
Professor of Applied Psychology at NYU (New York University)
Past President for the Society for Research on Adolescence
PhD Human Development and Psychology, Harvard University
NIMH postdoctoral fellow, Psychology Department, Yale University re. social and emotional development of adolescents.
Editor & Author books/articles, including: “The Crisis of Connection: Roots, Consequences, and Solutions” (NYU Press, 2018);
Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection (Harvard University Press, 2011),
Research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, The National Science Foundation, The William T. Grant Foundation, The Spencer Foundation.
Ron Taffel, PhD Consulting Subject Matter Expert, Child Development & Adolescence
Chairman of the Board, Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, NYC
PhD Clinical Psychology, New York University
Director of Treatment, Child and Adolescent Division, Downstate Medical Center
Author eight books re. child/family development, adolescence, parenting, psychotherapy
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Changing By The Minute
An independent feature documentary and tool kit for use with 10-14 year olds, teachers and administrators, after school and out of school time staff, parents and guardians. One year in the Center School in NYC, principal Elaine Schwartz.
Director/Producer Camilla Calamandrei
Copyright 2022 Rolling River Films
RollingRiverMedia@gmail.com
