the Nelson Middle Years Program
For details about what is happening in classes each day and for examples of student work, please visit our Tumblrs:
The Nelson Middle Years Program (NMY) at The Children’s School is grounded in the same educational philosophy as the early childhood and elementary programs. With experiential education, hands-on and individualized learning as the central pedagogy, NMY challenges each student to reach his or her fullest potential. Armed with Macbooks and guided by dynamic and innovative teachers, students tackle these intellectual challenges both in and out of the classroom. Our main program goal is to instill in each child:
o enduring intellectual passion
o a sense of social responsibility
o confidence
Students in the NMY experience an intellectually vigorous academic program built around problem solving and critical thinking. Unlike many traditional schools, students are not shuffled from class to class in 50 minute increments -- first math, then science, then English. Instead, math, humanities, art and science are often combined so that students experience first-hand how the subjects are interconnected and how they can be applied to everyday life. In addition, students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter in culminating projects which challenge students to further integrate and apply their reading, writing, math, history, and science skills and knowledge.
In addition to their academic course of study, NMY students also experience a rich co-curricular program that combines self-awareness and community awareness. Students take both a life skills and a media literacy block that each meet once a week. Both classes are designed to help students navigate adolescence and provide them with skills that enable them to deconstruct media messages, develop self-confidence, build healthy relationships, and make smart choices about their minds and bodies. In addition, students engage in a community service learning class. The Sixth grade unit focuses on homelessness, poverty and basic human needs and combines an in-depth study of the social issue with service opportunities. Seventh grade students look at service on a more global level.
Finally, NMY students have a morning arts rotation including painting, ceramics, filmmaking, photography, drama, music, etc. Each rotation lasts between six and twelve weeks with the class meeting every day.
Please take some time to browse this section of the website for more information about the NMY program. Visit the NMY tumblrs for updates, stories and student work throughout the year
