The middle school program is a
two year cycle in which 7th and 8th graders are grouped together in multi-age
classrooms.
The central questions of the
two year curriculum are: “Who Am I?” “What are my responsibilities?” and “How
can I make a difference?" The content is guided by the Vermont Framework
of Standards.
The methods by which the
content is delivered are guided by the Coalition of Essential Schools Ten
Principles and TSA’s mission statement.
The curriculum is integrated in
two ways. Using an interdisciplinary
approach, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Art collectively explore
the central questions. In addition to
integration between the disciplines, the curriculum is integrated within each
discipline. The science curriculum draws
from various branches of science such as Earth Science, Physical Science and
Biology, rather than treating each branch as a separate frame of reference. Social Studies examines U.S.
and world events throughout history rather than taking a linear and
compartmentalized approach. Language
Arts draws on the content material from Science and Social Studies.
Reading,
writing, listening and speaking skills are practiced throughout the curriculum.
Students read six or more assigned books each year and three more of their own
choosing. Literature is selected for its
value in terms of language, resonance, voice and relevance. Students exercise analytical skills as they
read and discuss writing style and themes. Writing is intensive throughout the curriculum. Students are continually
practicing the basic rules of grammar and punctuation. In longer pieces of writing, the emphasis is
on research, the production of original work, and the mechanics and style of writing. Discussion based classrooms give ample
opportunity for listening and speaking. Students are required to deliver numerous oral presentations throughout
the two years.
The Vital Results section of Vermont’s
Framework of Standards is an important guide for the curriculum. Student
learning is demonstrated through writing, presentations, speeches, plays,
displays, art projects, research papers, journals, debates, experiments,
simulations and model construction. All major projects in the middle school are
designed to help students consider their work using five essential
questions: How do you know what you
know? From whose viewpoint is this being
presented? How is this event or work
connected to others? What if things were
different? Why is this important? In all
components of the curriculum, we strive to create opportunities that meet the
different learning styles and needs of all students.
The social-emotional curriculum
is an important focus of the middle school curriculum. Two classes specifically address
social-emotional issues: Community Meeting and Connections Class. Each spring the middle school visits Hulbert
Outdoor Center
for the purpose of building healthy and supportive social interactions between
students. The staff is committed to
helping each student navigate middle school feeling safe and supported.
The TSA middle school recognizes
the need for middle level students to be active. Lunch/recess is forty-five minutes long and
students are encouraged to go outside. Many electives are offered that are centered on physical exercise. All students are encouraged to participate in
extra-curricular sports. The curriculum
promotes exercise as a healthy life style choice.
Sustainability practices are
steadily becoming part of our middle school culture. We recycle, compost, and reuse as much as
possible. Each year we look for new ways to model and practice sustainable
habits. Whenever possible we
incorporate sustainability issues into the curriculum.
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