OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL

Thinking skills for superior SAT performance

Introducing

The Middle School Program

Our middle school addresses the essential needs of children in this highly sensitive transitional phase of development. Students integrate Socratic dialogue on texts with conversations and one-on-one coaching on personal growth. Our STEM program allows for radical personalization along with group problem-solving experiences that engage curiosity while developing thinking skills needed for superior SAT performance in high school. Our Wednesday program combines art, music, and tech experiences to complement our academic core.

Preparing students
for the 21st century

PERSONAL PROJECTS

Students learn to develop meaningful personal projects based on their interests.

SOCRATIC PRACTICE

Students analyze classical texts and their ideas through reason-based dialogue.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Students learn to be a happier, more successful person through daily conversations on purpose, goals, and life.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

Students are supported in a carefully-crafted, positive peer environment.

SCHEDULE

A typical day for a middle school student

An informal guide-led conversation that is wide-ranging and may include discussions of books, movies, games, current events, projects, laughing, hanging out. The idea is to start the day socially, much as they would at an in-person school, with an opportunity simply to be themselves together.

Each day the guide sets a topic that may be big picture issues, such as how to set goals, how to learn from failure, etc. Alternatively the topic may be more personal, such as how to deal with anger, how to address bullying, etc. The goal is to provide an opportunity to discuss how to live a better, happier, more successful life.

A discussion about a complex text in literature, philosophy, or social thought. The conversation is a balance of discussing important issues in life and analyzing sophisticated texts, similar to the work required by the SAT verbal exam. The students develop a deep understanding of key concepts in the humanities.

Students work on essay topics of their own choosing based on the intellectual dialogue they've just completed in their Socratic discussion. They are coached by guides and through peer coaching on high-level issues such as organization and the use of evidence. They use software to refine their grammar, punctuation, usage, etc.

Each student is expected to do a personal project based on their own interests. The expectation is that they develop a substantial outcome over time. They are coached on how to move from an interest or idea to an impressive project by their guide, through peer feedback, and through the topics covered in Personal Growth.

Students have an hour off each day for lunch. They are encouraged to get off the computer and engage in some movement.

Students work through self-paced adaptive math curricula suitable to their level and ability. They set annual math goals with their guide and are coached on how to meet monthly and weekly targets for math progress. The guide works with them in small groups and one-on-one.

Students work through a science curriculum that combines hands-on experiments with an analysis of key concepts such as mass, force, gravity, energy, molecular bonds, etc. Once per week the students engage in a Socratic discussion on related topics to develop a deeper understanding.

On Wednesdays students learn "New Economy" job skills, including coding, web design, data analysis, etc. They also have an art class that includes drawing, animation, and graphic novel design. They have the option of taking a music class featuring world music appreciation, musical performance, and basic music theory.

Let's have a conversation

Schedule a conversation with our team by selecting a date and time from the calendar, or download our “Parent Guide” PDF if you need more information.

Thinking skills for superior SAT performance

Introducing

The Middle School Program

Preparing students
for the 21st century

A typical day for a middle school student

Let's have a conversation

Programs

Learn

School

Sign up to our newsletter

Thinking skills for superior SAT performance

Introducing

The Middle School Program

Preparing studentsfor the 21st century

A typical day for a middle school student

Let's have a conversation

Programs

Learn

School

Sign up to our newsletter

Preparing students
for the 21st century