Middle School
Our teachers use real world contexts within core subjects to encourage young adolescents to explore, experiment and seek deeper answers.
Middle School Years at MIS
During these critical years, we nurture a child’s natural curiosity, creativity, and ability to reflect by providing a supportive and stimulating learning environment that embraces those qualities. This environment fosters children to become caring, active, lifelong learners who demonstrate respect for themselves and others, and have the dexterity to participate in the world around them.
The classrooms expand outside the four walls to include their local environment and global communities. Teachers collaborate to deepen the student’s learning through conceptual ideas and critical thinking and, in turn, increase their confidence and motivation. Children learn to ask questions and construct their own meaning to become critical thinkers. They are active participants in their learning as they explore issues and opportunities in real-life contexts.
To be part of MIS is to be part of a warm, welcoming community that is unique to our school. The children become friends within their own learning community and learn that it is okay that we all have many similarities and many differences.
“My kids are engaged in school! They are excited to go to class and come home asking lots of questions, too.”
“We love the connection and community built by MIS teachers!”
What parents are saying…
“The teachers believe in what MIS is doing and want to be here.”
“The teachers take time to really get to know my child.”
In the Classroom
Middle school teachers plan collaboratively and work closely with students to explore the interrelationships among traditional academic disciplines (English, Humanities, Spanish, Sciences, Mathematics, Technology, Arts and Physical Education). Small class sizes and significant student-teacher interaction create an environment that provides a strong sense of self, independence and responsibility.
At MIS, students mature among peers and learn to embrace new possibilities with creativity, cooperation and connection. In the middle school program, MIS prepares students to excel in a world society. Through a holistic approach to learning, MIS encourages the middle school child to meet and exceed his or her individual potential.
Low Student : Teacher Ratio
Classrooms are full of life with enthusiastic thinkers and learners. MIS teachers understand the importance of students interpreting the world in their own unique way.
The small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios mean meeting each individual learner where they are in their educational journey.
Spanish Immersion
Middle School is a great time to join MIS with or without prior Spanish language experience.
Learning a second language enhances the first language since the learner is evaluating language structures and usage. Learning a second language (or third or fourth) triggers more activity in certain areas of the brain because it requires effort and attention to switch between languages. Children become more mindful of others, effective leaders, take time to look at situations and figure out creative solutions, filter out irrelevant information, and become more self-aware…to name a few.
Spanish language development in middle school at MIS continues through immersion in humanities and a Spanish language class. Other subject areas are taught in English. Middle School is an excellent entry point for students seeking an internationally focused education to learn a second language in a nurturing, safe environment.
Multiage Learning
MIS students are placed in a multiage advisory consisting of 12 to 14 students. These teams meet every morning and periodically during “Flex” blocks throughout the year. The Middle School advisory program prepares students to become independent, lifelong learners who feel connected to themselves and their community. Advisories create an environment in which students are well-known and supported in a small group.
Advisory Groups Provide:
Supportive and caring relationships with adults.
Constructive and caring relationships within a group of friends.
Relationships with their community through service.
Ages 11-14
IB Education
In Middle School, the International Baccalaureate® (IB) MYP curriculum framework comprises eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents.
Language acquisition
Language and literature
Individuals and societies
Sciences
Mathematics
Arts
Physical and health education
Design
At the end of their MYP journey in 8th grade, students participate in a capstone “Community Project” using research, critical thinking and communication skills that require students to take action!
Inquiry Based Learning
The inquiry-driven approach encourages children to use their curiosity as the catalyst for constructing meaning and reconstructing what they know to gain deeper understanding.
Inquiry:
Engages students with what they know to excite curiosity
Facilitates exploration to encourage students to start working through the idea
Follows with an explanation that connects students’ exploration to build a contextual sense of the idea
Elaborates to extend the idea in new situations to help connect the dots (meeting each student in the individual understanding)
Encourages students to reflect and evaluate to transfer their newly constructed meaning to new situations
The School Day
The schedules will look slightly different for each grade level, but here is an example of a Middle School schedule:
8:30 am :: Homeroom | Advisory
9:00 am :: Math
9:50 am :: Spanish
10:40 am :: Language & Literature
11:30 am :: Lunch & Recess
12:20 pm :: Humanities
1:10 pm :: Science
2:05 pm :: art | STEAM lab | design
2:50 pm :: PE
3:30 pm :: End of the day
Specialists
Our Specialists contribute to our holistic experience and encourage children’s natural curiosity and desire to express themselves through the arts, and through moving their bodies. They also promote communication, confidence, creativity, original thinking, social and physical development. MIS students develop an awareness and appreciation of music, art and theater from a range of places, times and cultures. Our Middle Schoolers get to enjoy either art, music, and/or PE every day, as part of a rotating specialist schedule.
Library
Children develop an appreciation of different types of books and a love of reading.
Art
Children begin to construct an understanding of their community, their own feelings and their environment through visual arts.
Music
Children learn to communicate in unique ways that go beyond oral language.
Physical Education
Children learn through experiential opportunities like ice skating and skiing among other traditional physical education pursuits.
Experiential Learning
At MIS, learning expands beyond the classroom to help young people connect their learning with the world around them and take action in their community. Experiential learning at MIS includes everything from speakers to field trips (around Montana and to Costa Rica for 8th graders), extended day trips, workshops and downhill skiing days!
Meet Our Middle School Teachers
Middle School | Ismara
BA Education/Teaching
BS Civil Engineering
Ismara Maidyd de la Asunción Partidas Aguilar hails from Caracas, Venezuela. She graduated with a degree in Teaching/Education from Simón Rodríguez University and a Degree in Civil Engineering from Venezuela Army Force University. Ismara joined the MIS Middle School team in July, 2018.
Middle School | Gillian
BA English
BA Theater/Dance
Gillian has two B.A. degrees from Santa Clara University in English and Theater/Dance. She has extensive teaching experience as well as international experience throughout the Spanish speaking world in Europe and the Americas. Gillian joined MIS in 2005.
Middle School | Jon
BA English Literature
MA English Teaching
In between degrees and up through the summer of 2020, Jon spent fifteen years doing trail maintenance, fourteen of those in Glacier National Park. Outside of leading backcountry trail maintenance crews, his teaching experience includes teaching College Writing I, student teaching sixth and seventh graders, and teaching AP and IB English courses for Juniors and Seniors. He loves spending his free time outdoors hiking, climbing, snowboarding, traveling internationally with his wife and friends, writing about his adventures, and reading books.
Middle School | Jeff
BA History
MS Environmental Studies
Jeff has a B.A. in History from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. He earned an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. Jeff joined MIS in 2003 and has taught at all the grade levels from first grade to eighth grade. Prior to MIS, Jeff taught for three years in Southern California as a Teach for America Corps member.
Middle School | Linda
MA Teaching Mathematics
BS Industrial Engineering
Linda has been teaching high school and middle school math since 1992. For 13 years, she worked at the Latin School of Chicago before moving to Montana in 2009. At the Latin School she taught a broad range of courses from pre-Algebra to AP Computer Science as well as running the Geography Bee, and coaching cross-country. Linda speaks Italian and appreciates any opportunity she has to use it. She enjoys traveling with her immediate family as well as with her large extended family. Linda joined MIS in 2015.
Middle School | José
MA Education
BS Spanish Literature
José Diaz is from Caracas, Venezuela where he was the head of the language department at his former School "Colegio Fundacion Carlos Delfinos" He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Education. He loves reading and traveling to new places. His favorite book is One Hundred Years of Solitude by the Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He loves spending time with friends and family and his favorite places to visit are New York, NY and Atlanta, GA. He also loves living in Missoula because people are really friendly. José joined MIS in 2017.
Middle School | Jen
BS Zoology
Jen joined the MIS team in 2014. She enjoys inspiring our middle school students through inquiry-based science curriculum, paying special attention to the role of science in critical thinking skills, environmental responsibility, and social justice. She is also a Middle School Advisor, sharing her experience in Responsive Classroom techniques to bring social and emotional learning into focus.
Click the link below to learn about the
IB Diploma Programme which follows Middle School
