Middle School
The middle school design is an integration of the current research in human development, the trends and issues in education, and the Montessori philosophy. The mission of the program is to provide opportunities for adolescents to be self-confident and gain self-knowledge, to belong to a community, to learn to be adaptable, to be academically competent and challenged, and to create a vision for their personal future; thus, to empower early adolescents.
The school structure offers:
a learner-centered environment a developmentally-responsive curriculum a teaching team of Montessori teachers
with additional adults as resourcesparents-teachers-student partnerships multi-aged grouping of 12-14 year olds large blocks of learning time peer and cross-age teaching
The early adolescent is:
an active, self directed learner a vital member of the class, school, city, global community a vital member of the teacher-student-parent team responsible for keeping commitments, being honest and respectful
The curriculum and instruction includes:
transdisciplinary themes learning how to learn strategies personal learning plans mastery, coaching and exploratory activities long term cooperative learning projects sense of community and social interaction with peers meaningful and challenging work activities for self-expression, self knowledge, and self-assessment activities that value all seven intelligence’s activities to foster interdependence school and community service projects activities that allow work on and with the land
The teachers are:
facilitators for learning consultants for the students creators of a positive climate for learning communicators with parents and community role models
