MIDDLE SCHOOL
LEARNING TO READ
Reading to Learn
Deeper Learning in Middle School English
For middle school students , the English classroom is not just a place to learn reading and writing . It ’ s a place to dive deeper into literature , culture , history , and worldview discussions with what Instructor of English Christy Mactavish calls “ Christian Deeper Learning ,” or people of God ’ s story , called to engage in real work that impacts themselves and the world .
Foundational reading comprehension is taught in sixth and seventh grades through the use of “ signposts ,” such as “ aha moments ,” “ words of the wise ,” “ again and again ,” “ contrasts and contradictions ,” “ tough questions ,” and “ memory moment .” These help students discern plot elements and synthesize information as they read . In eighth grade , English instructors challenge students into a more scholarly relationship with literature , using what students already know to analyze , develop ideas , understand author bias and historical markers , make insights on broader context , connect themes to their own lives , and ultimately experience growth and enlightenment through reading .
Mactavish uses predominantly fiction in the English curriculum , everything from Shakespeare and Wordsworth to the Harlem Renaissance , World War II literature , and Harper Lee ’ s To Kill A Mockingbird , to spur critical questions from students , opening up discussion through the Harkness method . The Harkness method involves students in a round table configuration , participating in open-minded discussion , oftentimes without teacher intervention . This method empowers the students , placing them in a position to speak , listen , and process autonomously . Everyone must contribute , and diversity of perspective makes for richer dialogue . The instructor tracks student participation both on offering thoughts and responding to others .
“ This method for our class really moves the teacher away from the traditional ‘ sage on the stage ’ space , and I love it because we see students connecting to the text in their own way , and learning how to have critical , respectful conversations with one another- we need more of that today ,” explains Mactavish .
MS English Department Chair Carey Dincauze also encourages student autonomy both in the classroom and in book clubs , encouraging students to choose their own literature for exploration , breaking off into small groups to share the text . A true love of books is the goal . Dincauze and Mactavish integrate Donovan Graham ’ s Teaching Redemptively into their classrooms . They provide guiding questions for students such as : “ What is God ’ s greater narrative ?” “ What does it mean to be made in the image of God ?,” and “ What is redemptive suffering ?” Mactavish notes that everything students read will follow stories of human suffering , citing C . S . Lewis ’ s Problem of Pain : “ Pain insists on being attended to . God whispers in our pleasures , speaks in our conscience , but shouts in our pain — it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world .”
14 PURPLE & GOLD FALL 2022