The Middle School
Carolina Day's Middle School is a warm, inviting place, full of creative energy and academic challenge. It serves as a bridge between the lower and upper school years, a unique time when young adolescents experience rapid growth and change, both physically and intellectually, and must be guided and supported in special ways. We provide a safe and caring environment for these transformations, while holding our students to high academic standards. We also emphasize moral and ethical development. Our goal is to teach our students how to make responsible choices, to be of service to others, and to develop in all ways as concerned citizens of their community and the world at large.
Carolina Day's middle school teachers seek to move students to discover their individual interests, abilities, and values. We have active classrooms where students work individually, in pairs, and in small groups. Each student has one adult advisor who knows and cares for the student and who supports the student's academic and personal development. Middle school curricular goals are to develop critical- and creative-thinking skills, problem-solving and decision-making, interpersonal and communication skills, study and research skills, and to gain proficiency in the use of technology. We also strive to instill a love of the arts.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM
Rich in meaning, the middle school's interdisciplinary curriculum and enthusiastic teaching teams help students make connections between their schoolwork and the world around them. Language arts, social studies, science, math, and modern language form the core of a challenging academic program where students are engaged in hands-on, exploratory learning. Physical education, intramurals, exploratory activities, athletics, visual and performing arts, and technology are integral to the program, providing additional opportunities for students to pursue their passions and fully develop their talents.
At the same time, we place great importance on collaborative activities that help all of our students develop as classmates, teammates, and invested members of their community. Our emphasis on higher-order thinking and decision-making skills rounds out a program that we believe puts education in motion. Students benefit from a demanding, relevant, and exciting curriculum, an activity-filled blend of structure, balance, and flexibility. And fun.
2009-2010 Middle School Curriculum Overview
SINGLE GENDER
In the sixth and seventh grades, students take their core academic classes (language arts, social studies, math, and science), as well as some classes in PE and performing arts, in single-gender groupings. We have found that single-gender instruction enhances learning by directly addressing many of the challenges and stressors that middle school students face.
We are committed to helping young people develop into concerned and involved citizens of their community and world. Students are encouraged to value integrity, demonstrate respect for others and the environment, and to take responsibility for their actions. Community service, leadership opportunities, and class trips are springboards for personal growth.
ADVISORY PROGRAM
At a time when young adolescents need and want positive relationships with both adults and peers, we provide a strong advisory program to guide students through these important transitional years. Small single-gender advisory groups meet with their advisor every morning to address important issues relevant to school, peers, adolescence, and life.
As they engage in fun activities and discussion, advisory groups establish bonds, learn about themselves as unique individuals, recognize that others share some of their concerns, and develop a healthy sense of self to carry them through adolescence. The advisor plays an important role in guiding group activities, serving as an advocate for each of her/his advisees, and communicating with teachers and parents on key issues.
