Montessori Middle School: Peace Rose Secondary Program
6-8th grade, 9th grade available by recommendation
Adolescence is the time when we see our children take their first steps through the world as an individual in society rather than a child in the family. They begin to explore to find their place and ask “who am I, and where do I belong?”
A Montessori Adolescent Program (or more commonly known as the Secondary Program) is for the 12-18 year old, is built to maximize the behaviors and lessons learned in the Montessori elementary program. Our current program serves students from 6th-8th grade, with the option to be recomended for the 9th grade. We aim for all of our students to develop a love of learning and a desire to want to know about their world. Students will treat each other with respect and gain comfort with the knowledge that each person has different strengths and challenges.
We prepare students for life by offering an exciting social and academic programming with a holistic approach of “educating the whole child.” The curriculum caters to each student’s development. Students are given the opportunity to learn with freedom and opportunities to develop self-discipline and academic choices within a framework of a curriculum progression.
We are a Community School
We focus our work in and outside of class on the community. Our pillars of community our developed through our programming…
Community Development
Community service
Understanding Wilmington’s history and city planning
Multi site campus, field trips in the community, farm & garden opportunities
Social Justice education and advocacy
Montessori Model United Nations programming
Community Arts
Exploration in music
Theater programming - yearly musical theatre production
Partnership with MoB social justice theatre
Art fundamentals with a focus on fiber arts and film
Service learning with local artists and agencies
Community Business
Externships
Air B&B ownership in the Cargo District
Maker’s Space in DesignWorx
Business math, education, and ventures
Spanish and ASL language studies
Teamwork and management during Science Olympiad
The Montessori Workcycle in Secondary
Our 90 minute to 3-hour workcycles (depending on the day) is a time to focus on group and individual lessons. Each student has a study guide that is a balance of tasks that arise from the core subjects, student chosen works, and teacher chosen lessons based on Montessori curriculum flow and North Carolina standards of Learning in all core curricular areas.
During their work cycle, students work on their work plan on computers and on paper. Their studies combine a 6 week grading segment broken down into three 2-week sessions. At the end of each session, parents and the community are invited to their showcase.
Student core subjects for the 2023-2024 school year: ELA, World History, Physical Science, Math (including Business Math, Geometry, and Math 1 for qualifying students)
Student specials classes for the 2023-2024 school year: Erdkinder, Micro-Economy and Business Studies, Music, Theatre, Spanish, ASL, Art, PE
Student Led Clubs: Clubs run each Friday afternoon, students propose a set of clubs for first and second semester and vote in the clubs and their leaders. Clubs of the past included Art Club, LGBTQ+ Club, Cooking Club, Reptile Club, Music Club, and the like!
Additional Programming: *This school year we are starting our first Montessori Model United Nations and Science Olympiad Team. *Students go through an annual class, Shifting Boundaries, that addresses sexuality, gender, and consent and is provided to us from Coastal Horizons and taught by our classroom teachers. * The study of the Wilmington Massacre of 1898 through research and the arts with The Invisibility Project is an annual program. * After hours Art Instruction with Mr Greyson of DOART.
Our Traditions: Our school has a range of traditions that are on the calendar each year! Some of them include parties and events related to holidays, celebrations, and seasons. Our most loved tradition in the secondary class is the End of Year Trip! In years past students have gone to the mountains of North Carolina, Williamsburg Virginia, and this year we are heading to Washington DC!
Our Locations: The Secondary Program spends the mornings in our outdoor classroom and Sunflower building that also houses our Lower and Upper Elementary classrooms, this is within the campus of our other programs. The students spend their afternoons in the Cargo District in our condo office and DesignWorx space. Students then return to campus for pick up.
Socratic Seminar
“It is through genuine conversations and deep respect for another’s ideas that humanity is to be preserved in its highest sense. These two components are the fundamentals of Montessori Socratic Seminar Discussion that serves to support all subjects through interconnections across a curriculum.” - Center for Guided Montessori Studies
The Socratic Seminar is one of the pillars of the Montessori Adolescent Community. As we prepare students to be not just members but leaders in society, the concepts of genuine conversation and respect for the ideas of others is paramount. Attention is taken to learn how to communicate agreement and disagreement with respect and engagement.
Erdkinder
In her ideal setting, Maria suggested Adolescent students move away from the family from 12-18 to live and work together in community on the farm or in the market. She called this Erdkinder. The adolescents have a strong desire to work. They are entering adulthood and are motivated by independence, autonomy, and adult-like work which adds value to the community. The farm or Micro-economy provides the student with abundant opportunities for purposeful work, work that needs tending to and can come back to. The students run a Micro-economy called “Peace Grows” where they manage various business ventures which include but are not limited to plan propagation, sales at local markets, childcare services, and individual makers space creations for their own profit. Building genuine community is what adolescents are focused intensely on – to belong, to be genuinely accepted, to be recognized, appreciated and valued.
Field Trips and Volunteering
Going out into our community is an integral part of the Secondary program. Trips are planned by both students and teachers, relating to the interests and areas of study. Students engage in short (a few hours), whole day, and overnight field trips! Students move throughout the community between their outdoor classroom, their makers’ space in the Cargo District, local businesses, local parks, and around town. Student spend each Friday volunteering with the Upper Elementary students - as a collective group they volunteer for the Peace Rose school, neighborhood community, and local agencies.
Homework
Students use computers and pen/paper to manage their workload, they can access this at home as well. Students have ample time during the day to work on their work and may choose (or need) to utilize time at home to complete larger projects, papers, or assignments. If students miss class it is important they complete their work. Students have a weekly 1-1 meeting with their teacher/s to go over their work in review.
Assessments and End-of-Year Testing
In class, students will be assessed formally and informally during the school year in class and the secondary students will start to develop the understanding of grades and due dates. Students are held accountable by their work plans, teacher lessons, personal research, and work completion. Knowledge checks will be used frequently during the week in oral or written form to check in with students and how they are retaining knowledge.
End of year testing is required for 6th grade through our non-public education licensure. Students 3rd-8th grade participate in end of year testing. This time of year is a great insight into the students' enjoyment and practice to test, as well as to see their Montessori work in action at a national testing level. These tests occur in May of the school year and results are sent out over the summer.
