Luke Michel
Middle School Head
Pacific Ridge School
In early adolescence, children undergo significant physical, emotional and social changes that can be challenging for them to manage. To bridge the gap between elementary and high school, middle schools often introduce increased expectations and larger class sizes, mixing together children who may be at widely varying developmental stages. Given this, it’s no wonder middle school often gets a bad rap!
However, with the right combination of factors, middle school can be fun, engaging and inspiring, laying the groundwork for confidence and success in high school and beyond.
Five factors that can make the difference:
- Culture: The school’s community environment is especially important given the social insecurity of early adolescence. Teasing and bullying can increase during these years, as children seek external validation and vie for social standing, sometimes in unhealthy ways. True learning and growth only happen when students feel happy and safe, allowing them to take risks and truly engage in social and academic opportunities. School culture is created by all community members through shared values, experiences, and belief in their school’s mission.
- Class size: Class size dictates how students interact with the teacher, each other, and the curriculum. In large classes, teachers can spend a significant amount of time managing adolescent behavior, making it difficult for all students to pay attention. Smaller classes promote better behavior, so teachers can challenge students, keep them involved, and routinely check for understanding. This produces strong classroom synergy and deeper learning experiences.
- Teachers: It takes a special kind of teacher to successfully teach in middle school. Our middle school staff’s informal motto is: “We embrace the excitement, growth, and mess that is middle school.” These teachers understand adolescents and appreciate their directness, sensitivity, energy, and even their humor. They find ways to validate students for who they are as individuals. Excellent middle school teachers recognize that making mistakes is characteristic of this age and present key opportunities for growth and learning.
- Curriculum: Middle schoolers want to learn things that are interesting and relevant. A traditional curriculum that separates knowledge into silos limits possibilities of what can be learned and loses the potential to inspire. In contrast, a curriculum that places the student at the center of their learning, connects concepts and disciplines, values self-expression and applies to the real world can excite middle school students, who are primed to broaden their intellectual horizons beyond elementary school offerings.
- Balance: Juggling school, outside activities, and socializing can be trying for middle schoolers as their need for sleep and family connection also increase. An aspect of our school that I appreciate is how we incorporate clubs, service learning trips, assemblies, advisory time, skills classes, and PE/athletics into the school day. Many students engage in after-school activities as well, but even those who don’t get a daily dose of non-academic stimulation and skill development. Exposing students to new experiences, ideas, and people keeps them moving and thinking in different ways.
To learn more about Pacific Ridge School’s grades 6-8 middle school, visit pacificridge.org.