Middle School English Overview

The Middle School English program is designed to foster students' growth and confidence as they develop the necessary skills to engage as critical thinkers, readers and writers in an ever changing world. In a supportive environment, students are asked to make connections between the issues and themes highlighted in literature to those found in other texts, as well as connections to their own lives and the world around them. 

Using a rich variety of fiction and non-fiction texts, students strengthen their reading and literary analysis skills through annotation and close reading, independent reading, journaling and more in order to engage in deep-thinking and develop the stamina and tools needed to succeed in Middle School and beyond. Writing tasks are purposeful and varied; students learn the key components (both grammatically and structurally) needed to successfully communicate their ideas to their intended audiences. Our English faculty work one on one with students on their writing to help them grow and gain the confidence and skills needed for more challenging writing tasks. 

Critical thinking skills are a key component to our spiraled 5th-8th curriculum. Students build on strategies from Lower School. As they engage in more challenging texts throughout Middle School, students learn to uncover  a text’s deeper meaning and translate their ideas into their writing. Their increased exposure to a literary canon that represents a diversity of experiences – including racial, religious, physical, political and socioeconomic – character education organically arises.
 
Additionally, students actively see themselves in situations and think about how they would act or react. Universal themes that speak to the human condition allow students to expand their understanding of themselves and others through engaging with literature.

Students are placed into leveled English classes using different data points, teacher observations, grades and other metrics. A significant amount of time and attention goes into ensuring that each student is placed in a class that both meets them where they are and has room growth as the year progresses.