The Design of the Middle School Curriculum
Our Middle School philosophy of education is put into practice by organizing the curriculum around the following principles:
- a holistic view of education through which we aim to develop a well-balanced person with artistic, intellectual, physical and social skills;
- an interdisciplinary perspective which emphasizes the link between the subjects at each grade level;
- an intercultural awareness that leads students to value people’s differences;
- a greater emphasis upon mastery of life-long learning skills, such as research and communication skills, rather than on mastery of a pre-ordained body of knowledge; and
- the complete integration of information technology skills into the academic program.
Instruction is organized by the following subjects:
In the academic subject areas, our curriculum is designed to meet the standards currently established by the most demanding state and professional organizations in the United States, as well as preparing students for the option of the International Baccalaureate Diploma program.
Technology skills and digital citizenship expectations are seamlessly integrated in all facets of the curriculum. Students are expected to demonstrate a sound understanding of digital media to communicate and work collaboratively, locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources with creative thinking.
Students also think and reflect about the choices they make in the cyber world, themes include: safety, behavior, balance and the possibilities of technology. Students will also learn about the care and maintenance of their laptop computers. Please refer to the link: The ASP Middle School Laptop Program Handbook.
Our Elective Program
Our class schedule is organized into 8 blocks that occur over the course of two days. Two of those blocks are dedicated to our electives. In Middle School, it is vital that our students have the opportunity to choose areas of interest and dive into developing their passions. Our elective course descriptions are linked in the sidebar button.
Arts at ASP
Our aim as arts educators is to develop and implement comprehensive, creative, innovative music, theatre, film and visual art programs. Such programs will equip students to think like artists, and will establish in them lifelong artistic dispositions as bold, sensitive creators, thoughtful, informed appreciators and enthusiastic, active supporters of the arts.
Service and Experiential Learning
Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities.
Students engage in service learning through our advisory program and student council. In addition, we offer Global Citizenship and 21st Century Leadership as two electives classes that develop service learning projects.
Experiential learning is learning through reflection on doing. The focus is the learning process for the individual learner.
