Middle School (6th-8th)

Focusing on collaboration and interdisciplinary learning, the French International Middle School follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme to deliver one core curriculum in five different languages.

Students with high-level second-language skills enter immersion tracks in French, German, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish. Students who are not already bilingual enter an English-focused track (International Track) and begin a second language of their choice.

All middle school students learn a new language from native-speaking teachers, who collaborate to develop units of study consistent across all languages. After graduating from middle school, students leave French International well-prepared for high school and beyond with solid grounding in the traditional disciplines, the ability to communicate in multiple languages, and an appreciation for the diversity of world cultures.

6th Grade

In sixth grade, students grow accustomed to a new schedule, interact with multiple teachers who all have different sets of expectations, and face increased homework and more formal assessments.

Students also leave their roles as the oldest in their elementary school and are introduced to a new and different middle school community. As teachers, administrators, and parents, we want to ease this transition. We strive to challenge our students to embrace a wider, more complex world while providing a supervised and nurturing atmosphere. This transition between childhood and young adulthood illustrates the mystery and beauty of early adolescence.

Our curriculum for sixth grade emphasizes work habits and skills within inquiry-based content, so that students gain independence and efficiency in their learning and improve their organizational skills. Time is allotted for independent study and the development of study skills, during which teachers supervise homework and reinforce good study habits. Our intellectually challenging 6th grade curriculum also includes many opportunities for creativity.

7th Grade

Just as sixth grade is the year of novelty, seventh grade is the year of independence and assertion. Socially, independence reveals itself in the need for deeper, more meaningful friendships. Academically, independence takes the form of questioning the limits and not taking anything for granted.

The energy seventh-grade students demonstrate is a great asset in the classroom, leading to interactive projects and increased discussion.

They are becoming capable of independent thinking and thrive on exploring the limits of their ideas. This strong desire for self-sufficiency is fostered and directed positively by our teaching team. Seventh graders suddenly seem able to organize themselves better, and can handle more complex research assignments; they usually enjoy group projects and conduct such projects with enthusiasm.

In the seventh grade, we continue to provide a stimulating and caring academic environment, challenging our students to think critically and thoroughly. In a climate of confidence, our students express, support, and respect each other’s ideas and differences.

8th Grade

Academically, 8th grade is a challenging year, during which expectations are higher. It is our students’ last chance before high school to develop more autonomy and gain confidence in themselves and their abilities.

Eighth-grade students no longer require as much parental involvement with homework. Debating skills are becoming more refined, and opinions are better formed and more personal. Eighth graders are also better able to hear other people’s points of view. Socially, eighth graders highly value their friendships. Social groups get larger, and social activities take a wider amplitude. It is a time when their friends become the people they rely on the most.

Courses demand greater personal responsibility, encompass a broader range of knowledge, and require dense personal reflection by the student. We trust that eighth-grade students can embrace both an intense social life and still thrive academically. We want to give them a chance to prove that they can handle the responsibilities of young adulthood, yet still feel that they are all important members of a nurturing and supportive community.

Middle School Learning and Programs

Advisory

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