It’s a typical Monday morning at AMS. A group of students are riding skateboards on the school courtyard. Another group are climbing an apple tree and talking excitedly. One student sits on the grass reading to themselves while some other students play a board game at a picnic table. These students are not being rewarded. […]
Middle schools is a time for milestones. For many students, this will be the first time they need to change classes or use a locker combination. They will experience transitions in both their bodies and their interests. This awkward time often marks the end of their childhood friendships and the beginnings of ones that may stay with […]
Even as a small child, I always found it confusing that school years start in the fall. Autumn is a time for winding down. Trees are ending their annual cycle, the garden is approaching its final harvest, the holidays and end of year is in sight. Yet in the midst of all these endings, students, […]
Every year during their 18 day field trips, the middle schoolers of Arthur Morgan School create a blog, documenting their trip. The students post pictures and write about what they did each day. They get to choose what moments they want to highlight and show off to their parents and friends at home. The blog […]
Every year during their 18 day field trips, the middle schoolers of Arthur Morgan School create a blog, documenting their trip. The students post pictures and write about what they did each day. They get to choose what moments they want to highlight and show off to their parents and friends at home. The blog […]
Student led conferences are quickly replacing parent teacher conferences as a way of communicating students’ academic progress. The idea is that students do most of the talking, informing their parents about their academic goals and how they think they are doing in each class. Teachers find that student led conferences often lead to empowerment and students taking ownership over their […]
Schools and their surrounding communities often share a symbiotic relationship. When a neighborhood flourishes, so does its local schools. In turn, those schools bring their community together through events and friendships amongst the students. For Arthur Morgan School, the partnership with its surrounding community runs deep. Two Halves of the Same Whole Arthur Morgan helped […]
Thanksgiving week is fast approaching and that means it’s turkey season. Every year, Arthur Morgan School raises its own turkeys and processes them for our Thanksgiving feast. In 2010 the online magazine Grist featured the school’s annual turkey harvest in an article which drew many mixed emotions. Some commenters felt teaching middle schoolers about processing turkeys was a […]
“What school is right for my child?” It is a common question. I’ve watched friends grapple with this question for years, but never believed it would be a question my husband and I would be asking. We started our version of this discussion when our son was about to enter eighth grade and we realized […]
In seventh grade, I experienced my first real academic failure. My science teacher assigned us a large project. We had to research and present about the different organ systems of a specific animal. As an awkward seventh grader, I was not excited about this idea. Puberty and new social dynamics had hit me hard and […]