In Montessori middle school programs, it is vital to start the year with community building lessons and activities.

“To learn, children and adolescents need to feel safe and supported.” –  William H. Parrett and Kathleen M. Budge

We begin every morning with a fun game to get the students relaxed and energized before academic lessons.  These include name recognition, charades, sports-related/coordination building, and trust-building activities.

Then, we have morning meeting daily.  Each week, a different student facilitates the meeting with a set agenda that includes sharing, acknowledgements, mental challenges, PACE (Brain Gym), and announcements.  The regularity and positive sharing aspects allow the students to communicate in a respectful way and wake up their brains and bodies for learning.

During academic work times, all subject areas involve individual, small group, and large group assignments.  This way, introverted children have some personal time to complete assignments suited to their personality, and extroverted children get their group discussion needs met.  In between, small group work allows children to build leadership and cooperation skills.  Middle school children especially desire more social interaction and learn better from peers than teachers. (see article here)

At Sea Pines Montessori Academy, we are off on the right foot with our class of 2014-2015.  These wonderful young men and women are going to do great things…

–Sarah