What are some obstacles in middle school and how is Concordia Seattle meeting them?
What is going on in middle school?
Just the mention of middle school is often met with eye rolls and shudders. Few of us would volunteer to relive that time in our lives. There are increasing challenges that come with this stage of development. If you are a caregiver, you might be feeling anxious, unsure how best to equip your child or yourselves for middle school.
“Research suggests that the transition to middle school can be one of the most stressful events that students will experience while in school. The move involves many changes, such as new student-teacher relationships, increased workloads, and different social structures. The stress of adjusting to these changes may lead students to experience higher anxiety and lower academic performance. Moreover, students may feel disconnected from school, increasing the potential for higher rates of absenteeism.”*
Rising absenteeism is also an issue in Seattle schools. About 40% of middle-schoolers, and 30% of elementary students, are chronically absent from the city’s Title 1 schools. *
What makes Concordia different?
At Concordia, our personalized learning model and small class sizes allow us to foster the positive aspects of middle school instead of all the negatives. Middle school students are naturally inquisitive and ready to tackle challenges head on, letting their enthusiasm and skills acquired in elementary school lead them to new understandings. They are ready to think critically and make connections outside of the classroom that extend to the rest of the world.
Being led by the same teacher year after year enables our students to be known and pushed to grow in ways that are personal to them. This teaching style, called looping, has proven to be instrumental to future student success. In the New York Times article on looping, called “What Most American Schools Do Wrong”, writer Adam Grant says, “Instead of specializing just in their subjects, teachers also get to specialize in their students. Their role evolves from instructor to coach and mentor.”*
Our Concordia middle school teachers get to know their students, having the same students for certain subjects from 5th-8th grades, encouraging them to grow and cheering them on as they overcome obstacles academically and socially. They are able to be aware and communicative if a student is absent, or struggling physically or emotionally.
On a recent Friday, our middle school math and science teacher, Ms. Falck, came into school carrying donuts from Top Pot across the street. Ms. Falck is often carrying interesting objects for her STEM classes, such as cow’s eyes, hydroponic tanks, or microscopes for her hands-on, project-based learning activities. Donuts, as tame as they may sound compared to that previous list, stood out.
“It’s been a hard week. The students have been grumpy and working hard, so I brought donuts,” she said.
It was clear Ms. Falck is in tune with her class as a whole and individually. She noted a few specific reasons why students might need a pick-me-up. She had been noticing and listening all week. She took it upon herself to make them smile, to cheer them on for persevering and pushing through. Ms. Falck also mentioned that she and Ms. Lee, our ELA and History middle school teacher, make sure to take extra recess outside when the sun breaks through on these darker, Pacific Northwest days. All of these things lead to a holistic approach toward learning and emotional health, forming the entire person academically, socially, and spiritually.
Concordia’s middle school curriculum is rigorous and self-paced, pushing students to set goals, make predictions, test theories, and connect classroom learning with real world experiences. Students have the opportunity to try out robotics, debate, and theater via yearly Seattle wide competitions with other Lutheran schools. Combined with a caring staff who can help guide along the way, we believe our model is a pathway toward confidence, community, and academic mastery in middle school and beyond.
While there may be many eye-roll-inducing obstacles at the middle school stage, being able to get to know students personally and adapt to a student’s needs might help break some of them down. Sunshine and donuts might not be the only answer, but a unique middle school experience like Concordia might be part of a solution. At Concordia Seattle middle school, we want to help students and families navigate this time of life, leaning in to the natural curiosity students bring to build confidence, community, and academic mastery, setting a pathway of success for the future.
Curious to learn more about Concordia middle school? Visit our upcoming open house on Thursday, January 23rd to see classrooms, meet teachers, and learn more about how our small class sizes and project-based, self-paced learning allow students to thrive in middle school.
Or visit concordiaseattle.com/middleschool/ to learn more about our program and book a tour to come see us in person another time.
Sources:
- You Belong: Strengthening Engagement and Attendance in Middle School , Katharine Peterman, June 25, 2024 Regional Educational Laboratory Program https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/Products/Region/midwest/Blog/108065#f6
- Gone missing: The struggling public schools as a top issue in WA, Danny Westneat, January 13, 2024 Seattle Times https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/gone-missing-the-struggling-public-schools-as-a-top-issue-in-wa/
- What Most American Schools Do Wrong, Adam Grant, New York Times Opinion October 22, 2022 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/22/opinion/education-us-teachers-looping.html