Middle School
Departments and Classes
Waynflete readies students for college-level instruction by offering challenging and fascinating courses not typically found in high schools and our dedicated faculty are given the time and resources to create immersive learning experiences around the strengths and interests of each student.
Within small and highly engaging classes, students spend their days working with primary documents and real-world research, honing their academic writing skills, exploring diverse perspectives, and engaging in lively academic discussion.
Upper School students study American history through the eyes and first-hand accounts of women, Native Americans, and black Americans. Master Mandarin Chinese, Latin, and other classic and world languages. Read philosophy. Gather and analyze complex data for real NASA research projects and state environmental initiatives. Publish a literary magazine, debate ethics in literature and film, compose electronic music, and so much more.
Middle School English Courses
Middle School students devote the majority of their study to reading literature and gaining proficiency in composition. In support of these areas, grammar and vocabulary are focuses each year, often in the context of the student’s writing but also through formal instruction in basic skills. Teachers encourage a process approach to writing—with drafting, peer review, and editing as integral components—whether students are writing exposition, fiction, personal essays, or poetry.
English 6: The Individual and the Community
In connection to the sixth-grade theme, “Adapt, Survive, Thrive,” this course centers on the ancient innovation of storytelling. Throughout the year, students explore two essential questions: Why do we tell stories? What power do stories have? Readings may include The Giver (Lois Lowry), Ramayana: Divine Loophole (Sanjay Patel), and King and the Dragonflies (Kacen Callender). Students sharpen writing skills through daily journaling, creative writing, and analytical writing. In the context of their literature and writing assignments, students practice critical thinking, annotation skills, vocabulary acquisition, and standard grammar usage. Students are also expected to read a book of their choosing and complete a project on it at least twice during the school year.
English 7: My Voice, Our Perspective
This course focuses on stories about adolescence and facing adversity in school and in society. By reading memoirs and fiction by authors of color, students expand their own perspectives and find the courage to grow and share their own voices in the face of challenges. Readings may include The Circuit (Francisco Jimenez), I Am Malala (Malala Yousafzai), Akata Witch (Nnedi Okorafor), and New Kid (Jerry Craft). Each unit is supplemented with creative writing (short story and personal narrative workshops) or expository writing (arguments, thesis statements, textual evidence, and persuasive style). Students build skills in annotating class texts as well as preparing for and participating in class discussions. Quizzes assessing vocabulary, punctuation rules, and grammar are a regular part of the course.
English 8: Justice and Courageous Citizenship
In English 8, students will examine stories in which characters confront injustice and harness courage to effect bold change in themselves and their communities. Core texts include The Hate U Give (Angie Thomas), The Book Thief (Markus Zusak), poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, and selections of contemporary poems and short stories. Students will participate in the American Voices Poetry Project, which asks them to study an American poet’s life and work and consider how they used their writing to change the world. Throughout the year, students will be asked to read closely, think critically, and express their ideas with confidence and precision. They will practice writing regularly in various modes with a strong focus on personal and analytical writing. The overarching goal of this course is to empower students to use their voices to change their world.
THE WAYNFLETE WIRE
9 proven ways to get kids to succeed in (and love) Middle School.
Middle schoolers need teachers who love teaching kids their age, who find ways to manage a classroom without saying “shush,” and who teach the essential skills that help students organize their work, their thinking, and mostly importantly, themselves. Read More
CONTACT
“One of the joys of leading our Middle School is the opportunity to cultivate curiosity, create an atmosphere of mutual care and respect, and guide moments of courage as students discover their own voices and sense of individual agency. Identity is the work of Middle School, and I am grateful to be a part of its emergence.”
Divya Muralidhara
Waynflete Middle School Director