Growing Up in the Middle

The Math Department believes that students should have an awareness of problem-solving at all levels and that math is a universal tool for exploring the 21st century and exploring the structure within it. Every student discovers connections between their lives and the math they learn at Barrie. The integrated curriculum highlights natural connections between different branches of math and other disciplines. These connections highlight the utility of mathematics and basic problem-solving and analytical skills. 

Middle school math includes fully integrated mathematics courses: Foundations of Algebra and Geometry, Pre-Algebra (7), Algebra I (8), These courses deliver the same scope and sequence presented in a traditional model, but in a more natural and continuous progression. 

Our interdisciplinary Humanities program for grades 6-8 combines English language arts, literature, history, and other social science disciplines. We believe deeply that one cannot understand the nuances of history without understanding the literature of a time period. Similarly, one cannot understand the intricacies of literature without knowing the history of what was written. 

Starting in grade 6, world language is required for all students; they have the opportunity to study Spanish or French. With the help of Total Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS), students immerse themselves in the target language and learn by acting out or engaging in real world scenarios. Beyond the goal of mastery of the material, our students develop critical thinking skills and effective learning strategies that facilitate second language acquisition and use of the language outside of the school setting. Students develop skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing as they gain an understanding of, appreciation for, and sensitivity to the cultures of the target language. 

With respect to the arts, they are an integral part of the Barrie experience, weaving together knowledge, skill development, and self-expression while enriching the cultural life of our community. Through an exploration of each arts discipline—music, drama, and studio art—students learn to be creators, collaborators, leaders, and risk takers. They have numerous opportunities to develop abilities, pursue passions, and put their best work on display during "Arts Night," an annual Middle School event that showcases their work, depending on which course they are taking at the time. In this sense, each arts class could be viewed as a trimester-long project.  Students take one trimester each of studio art, music, and drama in grades 6, 7,  and 8 for a total of one year for each discipline by the end of grade 8. 

In all grade levels, not just in the Middle School, exploration and learning is encouraged outside of  the classroom. When Barrie first created its Commons Building in the early 1970s, each classroom intentionally had a door to the outdoors in order for our teachers to actively incorporate our 45-acre campus in their lesson plans. Today our teachers continue to treat the campus as an extension of the classroom, whether it’s examining water quality in our campus stream which connects to the Anacostia River watershed or creating man made beehives to help bees flourish. 

We also engage the greater DC area as a classroom,  a learning laboratory in which students and faculty learn together. The Smithsonian museums, Brookside Gardens, a fifty acre public display garden, the Supreme Court and Congress, and various other organizations are just a few of the places our students have frequented over the years either as off-campus field trips or as part of our Extended Study Week (ESW) program. 

Learn More about ESW