RISE UP: Middle School students at The Knox School enjoying the school’s state of the art multimedia facilities.RESEARCH in Victoria indicates that students’ results can actually decline in the upper primary years for a number of different reasons.
Through a combination of factors such as insufficient challenge and stimulation and a general lack of interest in the learning process, some students at the upper primary levels regress and decline in performance.
Furthermore, there can be a discontinuity between the traditional primary and secondary schools in relation to teacher expectations, school organisation, curriculum provision and teaching styles. At this time of a student’s schooling, a strong sense of security is essential and continuity highly desirable.
At The Knox School, the Middle School is specifically designed for Years Five to Nine students.
It was structured in this way to help this active, diverse group of young people learn and move successfully through this important stage of life. At Knox, the Middle School forms a bridge between traditional primary and secondary education. Teachers combine subjectbased expertise with the knowledge and understanding of the needs of early adolescents.
Years Five and Six operate in small class groups with a full specialist program, comprehensive support network and many opportunities to be involved in the life of the school. They happily interact with older students, while maintaining their own leadership roles.
In Years Seven to Nine, students do not get ‘lost in the system’. The program involves: maximum class sizes of 24 students, allocation of a home room where core curriculum is taught, two main teachers who get to know each student’s uniqueness and a full specialist program and teachers who specialise in more than one area.
It is important to keep this age group active, challenged and involved. Middle School students participate in a wide range of internal and external events and competitions including the Australian Mathematics and English Competitions, Science Talent Quest, Tournament of the Minds, Wakakirri (dance and drama competition) and Rock Eisteddfod.
Knox’ extensive Middle School program caters for the individual. Staff use numerous teaching strategies, such as individual and group projects, recognition of multiple intelligences and learning styles, integrated curriculum, research, problem solving, cooperative learning, lectures, demonstrations, field trips and discovery learning.
Increasingly, research studies support the effectiveness of Middle School programs in improving students’ academic achievements and overall development.
At Knox, the Middle School is well established and readily caters for the emerging adolescent.
Knox School is at 220 Burwood Highway, Wantirna. For further information phone the school on 9801 9233
