Division Objectives

The middle school student at Wilmington Friends School is by definition a pre-adolescent or an adolescent, and the curriculum reflects the changing and sometimes difficult nature of that stage in our students’ development. The children who enter the sixth grade differ dramatically from the teenagers who move on to upper school after eighth grade. Their changes are intellectual, emotional, and physical. Middle school students often seek independence by testing authority. At the same time, they both fear and delight in taking risks and trying new things. The middle school structures programs that stimulate students to meet challenges, value differences in each other, and make good decisions. Faculty advisors (see “Advisory Program”) and grade deans offer guidance and support for students and their families. The transition to adult life requires the acquisition of both skills and knowledge, which promote the growth of independent and cooperative learning. By emphasizing interdisciplinary activities and programs, reading, study skills, group learning, and techniques of organization, middle school teachers guide students through and beyond the fundamentals of academic work. Activities that strengthen written, oral, and artistic expression allow individual talents to be recognized. Participation in individual and team sports develops both the cooperative and competitive spirits in children while satisfying their need for physical activity. A graduate of Wilmington Friends is expected to embody core ways of being. A graduate is someone who: • Seeks truth • Values justice and peace with a conscious responsibility for the good of all • Models creative, independent thinking • Exercises self awareness and intentionality • Is a skillful communicator and collaborator However, there is no single class to teach these life habits. Only through earnest engagement with our program and community does the student develop and begin to exercise these ways of being. The middle school component of this journey involves the development of eight essential cross-curricular skills. Within the WFS middle school students work in all of their classes, teams, small groups, and interactions to:

Communicate

• Communicate effectively in a variety of media (writing, speaking, performing and visual arts, etc.) • Listen to, consider, and recognize others’ perspectives • Advocate effectively for themselves

By emphasizing interdisciplinary activities and programs, reading, study skills, group learning, and techniques of organization, middle school teachers guide students through and beyond the fundamentals of academic work.

Collaborate

• Work effectively in groups • Demonstrate flexibility in attitude, approach, and working with others • Participate actively and positively in the life of the school

Create

• Think independently • Produce creative solutions • Ask, “what if?” • Express thoughts, feelings, experiences, stories through visual and performing arts

Manage Time/Organize

• Prepare/plan effectively for projects and assessments • Attend to detail • Organize efficiently • Manage time effectively • Prioritize effectively

Live Responsibly/“Let Their Lives Speak”

• Use and apply technology in an efficient and productive way • Follow-through on assigned work/accepted responsibilities • Accept individual responsibility for role in community • Recognize and act upon the “responsibility of opportunity” • Demonstrate integrity; make ethical decisions • Recognize godliness in others

Grow and Develop Resilience

• Accept mistakes as a key part of the learning process • Accept and engage challenge willingly beyond personal comfort zones • Exercise self-discipline/demonstrate an ability to delay gratification • Demonstrate resilience (learn from and do not dwell on failure) • Attribute success to their own efforts

Inquire/Engage

• Read effectively to determine next steps • Connect learning to their lives; make it personally meaningful • Identify reliable resources • Ask and test questions effectively • “Self-teach” • Work independently

Be Mindful

• Understand themselves as learners • Value reflection • Understand that learning is a lifelong process • Value the lessons others have to teach • Discipline themselves to remain open to new ideas and understanding