Middle School (6-8)
The Schechter Manhattan middle school is structured to meet the
developmental needs of the middle school years. As middle school age students
go through an intense process of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual
growth, they move along a continuum from dependence to independence. At the
middle school level, our goal is to give students support and appropriate
boundaries as they move along this journey.
As in the elementary divisions, the educational approach
throughout the middle school continues to be constructivist, and it is a wholly
appropriate fit with the developmental stage of middle school students.
Hallmarks of a Schechter Manhattan education, such as inquiry-based learning,
activities that promote deep thinking, and student-centered instruction, continue
to be a part of the students' school experience. Classrooms that foster inquiry
and hands-on investigation allow students of middle school age to use their
natural energy and enthusiasm to drive their learning. Learning
activities that develop depth of thought and analytical skills help
middle-level students stretch their emerging abstract thinking abilities. Student-centered
instruction gives students of this developmental stage the opportunity to have
voice in their classroom learning communities.
In the middle school, increasing academic expectations are
coupled with growing student independence. Students have separate core
area teachers for each subject: Humanities, Jewish Studies, Math, Science, and
Hebrew. This represents a significant increase of responsibility on the
students, as they are expected to adjust to different teachers' expectations,
keep track of their many assignments, and move from class to class on their
own. Middle school teachers work with each student to develop the skills to
manage these responsibilities, which is critical preparation for the challenges
of high school and beyond.
Increased academic expectations are also apparent in the
assessment of student progress. In the middle school formal assessments, tests
and quizzes become more prominent. In addition, in each of year of the middle school,
students demonstrate mastery of an area of study by presenting exhibitions in
front of members of the school community. Students also take ownership of
their academic progress by developing portfolios of their work, reflecting on
their progress and setting goals for growth.
The social and emotional aspects of middle school students'
lives are paramount to their healthy growth. An advisory teacher, who meets
with students every day, is responsible for overseeing a student's whole
educational experience and is the primary liaison between school and home on
issues relating to a child's progress. During advisory period, students have a
forum in which to share their thoughts, question difficult situations, and
confront ideas that will have a direct impact on their developing identity and
academic, social, spiritual, and moral self. Students study human growth
and development in a yearly health course and reach out to the community
through yearlong community service projects. Girls spend time reflecting on
gender issues and their Jewish identities each month in the Rosh Hodesh: It's
A Girl Thing program, and boys develop media awareness through the Jewish
values-based curriculum.
Middle school students are also given an increasing voice and
expanded role in their school lives. Students volunteer to participate in
student government committees, follow their interests and passions during activities
period, and shape the tone of our daily minyan (prayer service) by
serving on the va'ad Kabbalat Shabbat. Middle school students also have
a wider range of extracurricular opportunities, including after-school
interscholastic athletics and drama.
The Schechter Manhattan Israel Study Tour is a
beautiful and fitting capstone experience that changes the lives of our eighth
graders. During their two-week tour, soon-to-be graduates make connections
between their Jewish studies in school, the powerful personal experiences in Israel,
and their developing Jewish identities. When they return, they complete the
final phases of a lengthy and intensive process of self-reflection, culminating
in the graduation exhibition presentations. They are challenged to look at
their Schechter Manhattan experiences and relationships, and reflect on who
they have become and what is most important in their lives. Schechter
Manhattan graduates face their futures with a clear sense of their values and
goals.
