Cracking the Middle School Code: Creating a Place Where Kids Thrive
Thoughtful teachers and academics come together to encourage what's best for kids. by Tuan Anh Nguyen
I
t’s Monday, and there’s an unusual scene in the OES Middle School commons. Te shades are drawn and the metal garage doors rolled down. In the front of the room, a large picture of tree branches pelted by rain rests on the projector screen. Background sounds of rainfall and the smell of lighted candles soften the atmosphere. Seven middle school students lie on the floor, their heads supported by meditation cushions. Tey look like starfish on a carpet of blue and green. What are they doing? Practicing mindfulness. It’s Quiet Space,
a weekly activity available to Middle School students, faculty, and staff. As they lie there, the students focus on their breath. Many stay for just a few minutes, others remain for the entire time. It’s an extraordinary scene because the Commons normally bustles with activity. Sometimes a ball clangs against the metal doors, and inevitably commotion crescendos from the hallway as students transition between classes. Quiet Space is the perfect metaphor for life: Tere can be noise and activity all around but one can still create a centered, grounded space within. Such thoughtfulness found within Quiet Space, and surrounding its creation as a program, is a hallmark of the OES Middle School’s approach to education. Te OES Middle School is a place
where kids thrive. And for good reason. An outstanding faculty is dedicated to teaching
this particularly tender age group. Te mindfulness program serves as a cornerstone for its activity. And at the helm is a talented leader, Middle School Head Ann Sulzer, who gives her faculty and students just the right amount of support and room to take risks. All these factors converge to fulfill the school’s mission: To create lifelong learners who will use their power for good. Who among us reminisces fondly about
our own middle school experience? Likely few, but this is not surprising. Given the unique developmental challenges of the pre-adolescent years, it takes tremendous awareness and intentionality to create a place where students in this age group can flourish. Te years between ages 11–14 are characterized by rapid physical, mental, and emotional changes. It is inherently turbulent as pre-adolescents are tasked developmentally to figure out who they are amid pimples, roller-coaster emotions, and an acute need to fit in socially. Te OES Middle School faculty loves to teach middle schoolers! Not only do they love their discipline, but they also love guiding their students along this rocky road towards adolescence. Tere understanding
of their
is an appreciation and students,
not just
tolerance. Says Rachel Phelps, Middle School choir teacher, “In college I was sure I wanted to teach high school. But the first time I did practicum teaching hours with middle school
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