Unsettling deficit views of students and their communities

In this paper we explore the possibilities for redesigning pedagogy in the middle years of schooling. We think that the middle schooling movement in Australia is unfinished because the pedagogical reforms promised have been patchy, not well researched and difficult to sustain. As well, middle schooling is a little exhausted because it has failed to respond to changing demographies and youth identities. As a response we argue for school change projects linked to mainstream curriculum change. From a range of conceptual resources we discuss the potential of using a “funds of knowledge” approach and a narrative approach to youth identity work.