Middle School
A cynic once described Middle School education as the process by which bright-eyed, enthusiastic 10-year olds are methodically transformed into non-communicative, sullen 14-year olds. It is generally agreed that this is one of the most difficult times in a child’s life as they move from the comfort of childhood to the challenges of early adolescences. The physical, psychological, social, and emotional changes which take place at this time rival anything that has occurred before or will occur after this time period in a child’s life. But while this presents challenges for a middle school educator, it also presents opportunities to make an important contribution to the development of a young person.
At Gill St. Bernard’s School the Middle School faculty and I not only accept the challenges presented to us but we also embrace the opportunity to be part of the development of young students when their lives are full of potential. We also recognize that with all the changes that we are helping middle school students navigate, we must try to help them focus on their academic preparation. This is not always an easy task.
First of all, we recognize that the fifth graders have different needs than eighth graders. The middle school is designed to give the most structure and support to the youngest students while gradually giving the older students more responsibility. For example, while homework boards are a part of every 5th and 6th grade homeroom, no such visible reminders are provided in the 7th and 8th grade homerooms.
However, whatever the age of the child, the Middle School must be a place where students feel safe to develop their emerging personalities and where they can feel respected and cared about by the adults with whom they interact on a daily basis. We have been able to create this type of community. New students and parents of new students often comment on the palpable difference they sense in our school community.
This mutual respect between adults and students is a crucial condition if we want to accomplish one of our main goals—to help students take ownership of their education and personal development. Nothing is quite as empowering for a young student as feeling the ability to control what kind of grade he can earn and knowing how to go about earning it. When we present the curriculum, we help students learn how to prepare work properly and how to prepare for test and other academic assessments. We work to alter their thinking from what grade did the teacher give me to what grade did I earn.
Academics are at the heart of the Middle School program. Teaching teams (5th and 6th grades, 7th and 8th grades) meet weekly to discuss curriculum, students, and day-to-day details of running the program. Curriculum is designed to not only develop the basic skills needed to do more advance academic work, but it is also designed to encourage the thinking and problem solving skills that are central to life-long learning.
Regards,
Matt Huber
Matt Huber has been a middle school educator in independent schools for forty-two years. He earned both a B.A in English and a M.A. in Education from Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT. He went on to add a M.A.L.S. From Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, and subsequently was named a Kingenstein Fellow at Teachers’ College, Columbia University, NY. Mr. Huber has been a division director at Gill St. Bernard’s School since 1992. His two children graduated from GSB. Matt’s daughter is a pediatrician in the area, and his son is a math department chairman at an independent school in Wilmington, DE.
