Boarding school can mean a lot of different things to different people. Some think of tall, gothic buildings full of students in uniforms. Others think of robe clad teenagers brandishing wands and battling the forces of evil. The idea of boarding school is so widespread, and perhaps alluring, that many books, television shows and movies […]
I still vividly remember my first day of middle school. As the bright morning sun shone through the windows, I sat in a classroom amidst strangers. I only recognized a couple of kids, but they sat several desks away, too far to talk to without attracting unwanted attention. Instead I sat with my head down, […]
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 […]
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 […]
One the most frequent questions parents ask about Arthur Morgan School is, “Where do students go after they leave AMS?” Parents want to know that our emphasis on experiential learning, hands-on classes, and limited use of technology will transfer successfully to high school. They want their adolescents to be prepared for the next step of […]