Middle School (Year 7 - 10)

middle_school St Margaret’s College has developed a learning environment that prepares the girls for a successful transition into the Senior School.

At the Middle School level there is a focus on developing more effective learning strategies, thinking skills, management and organisational skills. It also concentrates on co-operative learning, developing a metacognitive approach and developing skills for greater self-direction and self-evaluation.

Cross curricular and integrated learning approaches are adopted to avoid the lack of transfer of skills and concepts from one context to another which is a common concern of secondary school teachers.

Learning Initiatives:

Year 9 Laptop Classes:

Here every girl has her own laptop and she works (predominately in Integrated Studies), in a technology rich environment. Wherever possible the girls are taught the skills to take advantage of the speed and efficiency which technology can provide in a learning environment. The aim behind the laptop class is to provide ‘learn anywhere’ opportunities and much of the homework and class work is conducted on line or within our school intranet, which means the girls have access to it 24/7. The laptop class also provides opportunities for creativity involving digital images, multimedia presentations, podcasts and e-portfolios or blogs. Where appropriate collaborative software and shareware are used as teaching and learning tools. The 1:1 laptop initiative uses technology available to help prepare girls to be life long learners in a global society.

Middle School Leaders:

In order to further develop the concept of leadership and responsibility, there are four new positions of leadership in the Middle School. Each leadership portfolio has a Head and Deputy Head which creates a core group of eight girls who meet regularly with the Head of the Middle School to discuss their roles and future developments in the Middle School. This not only provides opportunities for student-led initiatives, but also ensures that the student voice is alive and well in the Middle School. The portfolios are Head and Deputy of Environment, Communication, Recreation and Media.

Learning to Change-Changing to Learn

Video which was shown at Year 9 parents seminar on Saturday 13th

Habits of Mind:

What are the Habits of Mind and who is Art Costa?

The 16 Habits of Mind as identified by Costa are:

Persisting
Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
Managing impulsivity
Gathering data through all senses
Listening with understanding and empathy
Creating, imagining, innovating
Thinking flexibly
Responding with wonderment and awe
Thinking about thinking (metacognition)
Taking responsible risks
Striving for accuracy
Finding humor
Questioning and posing problems
Thinking interdependently
Applying past knowledge to new situations
Remaining open to continuous learning

Arthur L. Costa, Ed.D. is an Emeritus Professor of Education at California State University, Sacramento, and Co-Director of the Institute for Intelligent Behavior in El Dorado Hills, California. He has served as a classroom teacher, a curriculum consultant, and an assistant superintendent for instruction and as the director of educational programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  

Costa has written numerous books, including Techniques for Teaching Thinking (with Larry Lowery), The School as a Home for the Mind, and Cognitive Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools (with Robert Garmston). He is editor of Developing Minds: a Resource Book for Teaching Thinking, co-editor (with Rosemarie Liebmann) of the Process as Content Trilogy: Envisioning Process as Content, Supporting the Spirit of Learning, and The Process Centered School.   Active in many professional organizations, Costa served as president of the California Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and was the National President of Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1988 to 1989.  

www.habits-of-mind.net