Free Talk on Decoding the Middle Schooler

Middle school expert Mark Dansereau, co-head of Connecticut Friends School, will give a talk on what parents and teachers need to know about 10-14 year-olds to help them thrive in class and at home. The talk, free and open to the public, will take place at Stamford’s Government Center on Wednesday, November 10. With a special appreciation of and affection for this challenging age group, Dansereau brings years of experience, humor, and intelligence to the subject, offering practical insight and concrete strategies to bring out the best in middle schoolers. You will learn how to decode a young adolescent in order to use the right approach at the right time—and when it’s better to let things go. Small breakout groups and workshop activities will be included in his presentation. Dansereau has been a classroom teacher in elementary and middle schools for over 25 years, and currently teaches grades five through eight at CT Friends, a Quaker K-8 day school with campuses in Wilton and Norwalk. Previously, he developed the Montessori Middle School Program at Whitby School, the nation’s oldest Montessori school. Dansereau teaches classes such as Adolescent Psychology, Trends and Issues in Secondary Education, and Classroom Leadership as part of the Washington Montessori Middle School Teacher Education Program.

The talk will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10. The Government Center is located at 888 Washington Street, 5th floor, Stamford.