Areas of Interaction

In the middle school years, major units for the year across subjects will be planned around five specific areas of interaction:

• Approaches To Learning: Students will be taught how to take responsibility for their own learning. Central to this is “learning how to learn” and developing in individuals an awareness of how they learn best, of thought processes and of learning strategies.  As part of Approaches to Learning, students are taught organizational skills and attitudes towards work, collaborative skills, communication, information literacy,reflection, problem solving and thinking skills, and subject-specific as well as interdisciplinary conceptual understanding.
   
• Homo Faber: This area of interaction allows students to explore in multiple ways the processes and products of human creativity, and to consider their impact on society and the mind, providing opportunities for students to appreciate and develop in themselves the human capacity to create, transform, enjoy and improve the quality of life.  In particular, this area stresses the way humans can initiate change, whether for good or bad, and examines the consequences.  It also emphasizes both the importance of researching the developments made by people across space, time and cultures, and the importance of taking time to reflect on these developments. 
   
• Community and Service: Community and service starts in the classroom and extends beyond it, requiring students to take an active part in the communities in which they live.  Giving importance to the sense of community throughout the Middle Years encourages responsible citizenship as it seeks to deepen the adolescent’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them. The emphasis is on developing community awareness and concern, and the skills needed to make an effective contribution to society.
   
• Environment: This area of interaction aims to develop students’ awareness of their interdependence with the environment so that they understand and accept their responsibilities. It deals with the importance of the local and global environment, concepts of sustainable development in a context of increasing environmental threats, understanding the links between economic, political and social issues, developing positive and responsible attitudes towards their environments, and gaining the skills and commitment to contribute to their environments.
   
• Health and Social Education: This area of interaction deals with key aspects of development leading to complete and healthy lives. It encompasses physical, social and emotional health and intelligence. The aim is to develop in students a sense of responsibility for their own well-being and for their physical and social environment.