Middle School Structure

Education for a Better World

Middle School Structure

 

The Middle School years are a critical period of learning and development in a student’s life. The Hearth’s Middle School Structure recognises the importance of these early adolescence years and that the curriculum for this phase should not be treated as an extension of the primary school curriculum, nor as a time gap to be filled before secondary school. Middle school is a critical time for a student’s intellectual and emotional development and the time when they start developing social and emotional patterns. It is a crucial time for developing their personality traits, grit, curiosity and study habits which shapes them and their future during and after school.

 

Our Middle School Structure is a challenging framework that draws upon the best-practices from international curriculums and encourages students to make valuable connections between their studies and the real world. This curriculum is designed to help all young individuals to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. This curriculum is presented as a developmental sequence of learning from the Primary Stage. It describes to teachers, parents, and students what is to be taught and the quality of learning expected of young people as they progress through school.

 

The three-dimensional design of this curriculum recognises the importance of disciplinary knowledge, skills and understanding alongside general capabilities and interdisciplinary, cross-curriculum priorities. Certain learning areas have also been devised to include multiple subjects, reflecting custom and practice in the discipline. In each learning area or subject, content descriptions specify what students at this stage will learn, and achievement standards presented in the grade-wise framework describe the depth of understanding and the sophistication of knowledge and skill expected of students at the end of each year level.

 

Students will also be able to develop their conceptual understanding through ideas that have relevance within specific disciplines and across subject areas. They will be encouraged to strive to be caring members of the community. The latter demonstrates a commitment to service; to making a positive difference to the lives of others and the environment. Through this holistic and integrated curriculum, students will be able to develop their understanding, their emerging sense of self and responsibility in their community.