The middle school years of 6th, 7th, and 8th grades at Annie Wright include students of ages between 10 and 14 years. During these years, students undergo a transformation, experiencing a vast range of academic, social, and emotional change. The transformation that occurs between the end of elementary school and the beginning of high school is significant in defining academic habits, personal identity, and self-confidence that each will carry into adulthood.

Because the discoveries and breakthroughs for students are not always easy and middle school years in general have the reputation of being a challenging time for students and teachers, as well as parents, it is not difficult to understand why middle school carries this label when you consider what needs to be balanced to achieve optimal success.

At Annie Wright, however, the Middle School faculty and staff understand this age group and appreciate the significance of the transformation that occurs during the students’ time with us. For example, we know that students arrive in Middle School having been in a contained environment with a single (or perhaps two) generalist teacher. By the time they leave for 9th grade, the students are ready for seven or eight different subject specialists.

We also understand that the students’ organizational requirements also develop proportionately. Developmentally concrete thinkers may begin to have the capacity for abstract thought during these years. Dependent individuals think they want to become independent and sometimes challenge parents, teachers, or authority in general to express this identity for themselves and for the benefit of their peers. Even though this area is particularly challenging, students need to have experiences that build confidence and individual self-reliance during middle school.

Not to be ignored, physical and emotional changes of adolescence and puberty and the resulting discovery of romantic attraction have dramatic impact on individuals. This may or may not happen for everyone during these years, but it does happen enough within the group to thoroughly confuse the rest. And even in the effort to understand individual identity, students begin to comprehend the concept of compassion and empathy for others.

At Annie Wright Middle School we package all of this in an understanding community of learners. There is no perfect formula that we can consistently apply to all of our students as individuals, yet we embrace a balanced concept of variable support and appropriate challenge at the level of the individual that gradually shifts with growth and development while also moving the group forward. Missteps and mistakes are often important opportunities for growth, and resiliency can be a valuable learned attribute.

The addition of integrated curriculum and experiential components of learning, such as the recent trips of the 6th grade to the Working Waterfront, Maritime Museum, and Seattle Aquarium; the 7th grade excursion to the Winter Olympic Games; and the 8th grade overnight to Squaxin Island on Hood Canal (in preparation for the spring trip to the Southwest), prepare students for academic understanding and life. Many schools talk about educating the whole child as part of popular jargon. Annie Wright Middle School we put this into practice through the consistent commitment of the teachers, staff, and supportive parents. It is a good experience for our kids.

Have a great weekend!

Bill Schuver

Director of Middle School

Did you know?

• That Pastor Pam Osborne has been selected to co-lead a workshop for the National Association of Episcopal
Schools (NAES) Biennial Conference 2010 in San Antonio, Texas next fall? Her conference titled “Teaching Godly Play in a School Setting” stems from her training in Godly Play™ lessons that she recently introduced to our pre-kindergarten class. NAES received over 125 proposals for just over 60 workshop slots and said it was one of the most competitive review processes they have had for the annual event.

• That AWS strings instructor Stuart Hake received the All-State Private Studio Teaching Award? Every two years, the American String Teachers Association Washington chapter (WASTA) awards Outstanding String Educators in the state in the categories of Public School, College and Private Studio. The awards are voted on by teachers across the state. The winners were announced at the high school orchestra showcase concert at the Washington Music Educator Association All-State Conference in Yakima over Presidents' weekend.

• That the 6th graders have been on their experiential week and have begun their Science Fair projects which will focus on one of our themes for the local community: marine and aquatic life of Puget Sound and boats/boat design?

• That on Tuesday, the 6th graders helped the 8th graders in a community service project at Northwest Harvest to sort and package over four thousand pounds of pasta that will feed approximately 1100 people in Washington State?

• That on Wednesday, they visited the Seattle Aquarium and received a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium and they got to help feed the fish, dissect a squid, watch the otters be fed, and much more?

• And that on Thursday and Friday, they visited the Foss Maritime Seaport and learned about boat building and the history of Tacoma's working waterfront?

• That the 7th grade last week took pictures with Quatchi and Miga, traded pins with people from around the world, and got to chant “U-S-A” at Olympic sporting events?

• That the 7th graders posted their final blogs about the Olympics? Follow this link to check out their stories and fun photos: http://groups.aw.org/groups/2010_olympics/blog/

• That the 8th graders constructed trebuchets and engaged in a fierce competition of catapulting small objects over a wall as part of their parabolic math unit?

• That the seniors and freshman are going to the “Bodies” exhibit in Seattle next Thursday as a part of their
Interim bonding fun?