Philosophy
Welcome to The Bush Middle School
In the Middle School, we enact the Bush School’s mission statement both programmatically and personally. It is the mission of the administration and faculty “to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities.” The outcome of a Bush Middle School education is, most simply, a student who is both a fine scholar -- well-prepared for any challenging high school program -- and a fine human being with a developing sense of ethics.
Our approach to teaching and curriculum design is based on the philosophy that learning is not only a body of information, but also a process and a mode of inquiry, and that classrooms are learning communities that foster understanding, mutual respect and civility. Learning extends beyond the classroom walls to encompass collective goals of exploration, interaction with others, investigation, and service to the large community.
This educational perspective is supported through key relationships formed in the Middle School. The student/teacher ratio is 16 to 1 in the classroom; teachers serve as advisors of no more than 8 students per year. Faculty members work closely in grade-level teams to ensure a consistency of standards, approaches, and skill development that are age-appropriate. Communication between parents and teachers occurs in various ways on a regular basis. Parent/teacher conferences are held twice a year, and a formal narrative report is sent home at the end of each trimester. Grades are not used in the Middle School to indicate progress or ranking; Bush School students are formally graded for the first time beginning in 9th grade. Opportunities for parents and teachers to meet to discuss a student’s progress or needs are also built into the daily schedule of classes and activities.
Our curriculum also includes a variety of learning opportunities, all of them influenced by the concept of experiential education, and a commitment to enabling students to approach learning and self-discovery in ways that are beneficial to them. Our academic program includes classes in Math, English, Science, and History, as well as French or Spanish. Homework is given on a daily basis in these subjects. The academic program is a challenging one, but faculty and the Middle School Learning Coordinator and Middle School Counselor are prepared to work with students who have learning difficulties or students who struggle with organization and time management, as well as the social/emotional aspects of learning.
In specialist classes, students also study art, music, drama and physical education throughout their middle school career, and are encouraged to increase their information and technological literacy as well. An Activity program is included in the regular schedule of weekly classes, and is designed to encourage students to participate in a variety of athletic, artistic, and community service activities throughout the year. Here they apply the skills and knowledge gained in academic classes in practical ways, as they do also in the Experiential Week and Wilderness Programs.
The Middle School experience at Bush is one in which students are encouraged to identify their strengths and interests, as well as the skills and understanding they need to be able to succeed in and contribute to society. In Middle School, most students are at the point in their lives where they can begin to make independent choices and significant contributions. Every attempt is made to provide a program and expectations that are commensurate with the experience, needs, and potential of young adolescents.
Please ask for a copy of the Middle School Curriculum Guide for detailed descriptions of the programs and activities mentioned in this introduction to the Bush Middle School.
Please email elizabeth.atcheson@bush.edu or phone 206-326-7735 for further information about the Middle School.
