Grades 6 - 8

In our middle level, we extend the project- and play-based approach of the younger elementary grades into a problem-based approach. This suits adolescents who are are developing a greater awareness of the world outside themselves and their families. They notice that the world isn’t a perfect place, and are often concerned with questions of social, economic, and environmental justice.

 

The middle-level grades are organized around the distinct developmental needs of early adolescence. Our middle schoolers define questions or problems that they deem important, and teachers help them craft a skill-based, content-rich response. The response may include gathering and analyzing information (everything from a quick Internet search to interviewing an expert to doing original fieldwork) and taking action (everything from sharing results informally with classmates to writing a poem to spearheading a community-wide public awareness campaign). In this way, children's learning unfolds as they engage in purposeful activity around topics and issues that have meaning for them.
 

Consistent with our K-5 grade approach, our 6-8 grade curriculum integrates subject matter and weaves in grade-level skills and concepts, rather than separating out disciplines of knowledge and teaching skills in isolation. We use a variety of teaching methods – inquiry, direct instruction, modeling, demonstration, discussion, collaborative learning, and others – to meet the unique needs of each learner.

As high school approaches, our middle-level students are naturally thinking ahead, imagining themselves in high school and preparing for that transition. We take a proactive approach and openly discuss, plan with, and instruct students on how they can maximally enjoy and benefit from their high school experiences. We work to ensure each student graduates with the confidence, competence, and self-advocacy skills they need to succeed in the next stage of their education.