JH_ISSUU

CHANGING TIMES
The junior high years – in Paideia’s case, the seventh and
eighth grades – are sometimes considered the most
challenging and fascinating time of one’s life. Physical,
intellectual, and emotional changes are rapid and intense
at this age. Kids feel that they are no longer children; while
they’re eager for the greater freedoms and responsibilities
of teenage life, they’re also filled with self-doubt and are
apprehensive about the social conflicts and increased
academic pressures that lie ahead. Though they constantly
try out new roles for themselves and might seek to distance
themselves from their parents, they still need and want the
support and guidance of the key adults in their lives.
This age of transition has typically been difficult for schools
to handle. There is a wide range in skills and maturity at this
age. Within one classroom, students who can think and write
at a high school or even college level sit next to others who
are still fairly young intellectually. Even within individual kids
there can be wide fluctuations. A seventh or eighth grader
can behave like a 16-year-old one day and like a 10-year-old
the next. To deal with these competing factors, most studies
have recommended smaller and more flexible schools, more
individual attention and guidance from teachers, and more
opportunities for reflection and self-expression. We have
developed a program at Paideia that we think is especially
suited to deal with the needs and opportunities of early
adolescence. It combines close contact and support from
teachers with independence, individual responsibility, and
a wide range of choices. It demands a lot from students but
does so in comfortable surroundings where they can feel at
home. We emphasize core subjects such as math and writing,
but also employ a creative curriculum designed to develop
self-awareness and expression. And, it’s all presided over
by teachers who genuinely enjoy and appreciate children
of this age.

Atmosphere
Classrooms are openly arranged with sofas, tables, and
chairs. Kids don’t line up to go places, there are no bells
between class periods, and one doesn’t need permission
to go to the water fountain. The academic expectations
are high, but the atmosphere is informal. We believe that
this environment helps students feel more at home and at
ease. Comfort is especially valuable for junior high kids,
for whom a certain degree of fidgeting and sprawling is as
inevitable as breathing. They need lots of elbow and knee
room; they were never intended to sit in desks for hours
on end.
Another somewhat unusual feature of the school is that
teachers are called by their first names. Teachers and
students get to know each other very well here, and that
makes calling them “Mr.” or “Mrs.” seem out of place. Still,
there’s no doubt who’s in charge; kids know that calling
teachers “Kemi” or “Tony” does not make them peers or
make assignments and expectations any less serious.

Faculty
The teachers, more than any other variable, set the tone
and atmosphere of the school day. One of Paideia’s guiding
principles has been to find experienced, talented, and
innovative faculty and give them room to teach. There is
no particular educational ideology imposed on teachers;
their classes tend to be reflections of their styles and
enthusiasms. Some seem to teach by force of personality
and need little external structure to do so. Others see
themselves as organizers and facilitators in the learning
process. Some are very systematic in their approach, while
others rely more on inspiration. Some are effusive and
affectionate, while others are more formal or subdued. But,
they all share two things: they enjoy being around children
this age, and they believe they can make a positive impact
on the lives of their students.
Paideia has junior high teachers who
approach the early adolescent experience
with a sense of adventure, patience,
compassion, and above all,
a sense of humor.

Goals and
Expectations
We have high hopes and expectations for our junior high
students. At such a pivotal time in their lives, we want
school to be a place where students are challenged and
supported, where they acquire the skills they need but also
do a lot of things they enjoy, and where they learn to look at
themselves honestly and appreciate what they see. We want
them to emerge from eighth grade confident, accomplished,
and ready for the world of high school. Junior high is a time
when it’s still okay to struggle, and even to fail, as long as
one can learn from one’s mistakes. We think this is the best
time for students to stumble, deal with some doubts, and
ultimately experience breakthroughs.
Because of this perspective, when we evaluate junior high
students and talk to parents about how their children are
doing, our chief concerns are not so much with grades
and test scores, but with how they are dealing with this
multifaceted, two-year process. Perhaps the greatest
advantage of having interdisciplinary homebase classrooms
is that our teachers get to know their students very well, and
The skills
Over the course of their junior high years, there are
skills that we want students to develop and practice.
We want them to be able to:
» Organize and discipline themselves
to get things done
» Express ideas clearly and fully, in
writing and when speaking
» Think critically and deeply about a
variety of subjects
» Learn and absorb new ideas and
information
» Approach and solve problems in
a systematic way
» Practice being responsible for their
own learning
» Discover and take ownership of their
voice

The intangibles
And then there are the intangibles we want
students to develop:
» Self-confidence
» Self-awareness and honesty
» The ability to stand up for themselves
and their emerging beliefs
» Enthusiasm for learning and trying
new things
» The ability to get along well with
peers with adults
» The ability to see and understand
multiple points of view
» An awareness of and respect for
people of different cultures
» A sense of humor
from a number of different viewpoints, so that evaluations
reflect how students are doing on many levels.
Skill levels vary widely at this age so we have varying
expectations for each student. For those who are already
strong in a particular area, we want them to push themselves
toward more complex work. For those who are struggling
with a specific skill, we want them to gain competence and
build self-confidence. The junior high curriculum combines
attention to foundational skills with a continual quest for
creativity and depth.
We believe the intangibles are every bit as important as
the acquisition of skills and knowledge. Our junior high
is a place where many of these qualities are practiced
and tested in ways they can’t be at home. For instance, a
student encouraged to speak up in literature class will gain
confidence that will serve them well in school, work, and life.

Structure
“Our curriculum is challenging,
but it might not look like the
challenging curriculum that
you grew up with because it’s
created to prepare our students
to succeed in today’s rapidly-
changing world.”
-Homebase Teacher
Junior high students at Paideia spend about half of
their week in an interdisciplinary homebase classroom
with a pair of teachers who get to know them very well
over the course of two years. They spend the other half
of their time with specialists who teach math, science,
modern language, art, and music.
While most junior high programs are structured like
high schools, with students shuttling among different
teachers and classes all day, we believe junior high
kids still need more individual attention and contact
with a primary teacher than a totally departmentalized
program can provide. Our junior high is designed
to provide a transition to the kind of autonomy that
students will experience in high school, and its structure
reflects that intention.

homebase
literature
writing
grammar
social studies
service learning
independent projects
specialist
classes
math
science
art
music
modern languages
PE games

Homebase Classes
The homebase classes place particular emphasis on
literature, writing, and social studies. These subjects provide
fertile ground for learning at many levels. There is intensive
practice in writing and speaking skills, with ongoing lessons
in the importance of honest and open communication.
Students are pushed to look beneath the surface. These
subjects can also tap into the passions and anxieties of early
adolescent life. The United States Constitution, semicolons,
and analytical writing run head to head in competition
with who likes whom, who is mad at their parents, and
who won the pick-up game at break. Personal and social
concerns can seem all-consuming, and to some extent that’s
developmentally appropriate for this age.
One way in which we differ from most schools is that we don’t
treat these anxieties as distractions and attempt to teach in
spite of them. We try, instead, to use them constructively
to give the curriculum more relevance to students’ lives.
A particular child’s insecurities or conflicts with friends
can lead to a wonderful story, a meaningful discussion, or
a deeper understanding of what is really going on in the
current literature book. In class discussions of To Kill a
Mockingbird or The Power of One, for instance, students
explore the coming-of-age experience and gain perspective
and understanding of their own journey. We want our
students’ lives to be incorporated into their schoolwork;
this requires a fair amount of organization and creative
license. We have found over the years that the results can
be astounding, and, among other things, academic skills are
strengthened in the process.
Writing
The key to becoming a good writer is to write constantly
and have one’s writing nurtured critically. Students practice
writing short stories, literary analyses, speeches, and essays
and will write autobiographically, but not of the “what-I-didlast-summer”
variety. Young writers are encouraged to find
and use the conflicts and triumphs of their own lives, large
and small, as material for their assignments. What they
come up with is often personal and seemingly universal
to many teenagers: doubts about themselves; problems in
their friendships; avoiding homework; dealing with pesky
siblings; or convincing a parent to buy them a new pair
of shoes. They find the process more interesting and the
results more powerful when they are personally invested
in the topic.

» Fairness
» Social Justice
» Relationships
» What’s happening in the world
around them
» Debate
What concerns
7th and 8th
graders?
» The current state of society and how
it relates to them
Social Studies
Though each homebase takes a unique approach, social
studies classes in the junior high are designed to address
what matters most to our students while emphasizing
research, writing, and critical thinking skills. All of our
teachers use their social studies curriculum to promote
respectful dialogue across differences. Every class includes
ample helpings of history, geography, government, and
current events, and great importance is placed on research
skills and understanding historical context.
The content and approach depend very much on the
individual teachers’ styles and passions. While some
teachers have a definitive two-year curriculum that they
consistently follow, such as “World Cultures” or “Race,
Class, and Gender,” others choose different themes each
year, such as “Hunger,” “Peace,” or “The City of Atlanta.”

Literature
Literature class is serious business at Paideia. Students
learn very quickly that we are interested not only in
their vocabulary and comprehension skills, but also
in what they have to say about what they have read.
They are prodded to read between the lines, consider
interpretations and motivations, question the choices
of the characters and the author, recognize themes,
motifs, and symbols, and discuss parallels with their
own lives. There are some remarkable discussions
in these classes as kids become more sophisticated
students of literature.
Workload
Workload is often a concern for parents and students at the
beginning of junior high. Teachers use different approaches
to communicate assignments to parents and help students
take responsibility for keeping track of deadlines. Students
have work periods during the week to get homework finished,
with seventh graders having more work periods than eighth
graders. There are times in the semester when homework can
average two hours a night even when additional work time
has been allocated at school. All homebase teachers work
with kids on organization to help them figure out what works
best for them.
Most students find the workload manageable and have little
trouble making the transition from sixth to seventh grade. For
those who have temporary difficulties with this transition, we
provide more support.

Specialist Classes
Math
Students come to our junior high with a range of math experiences.
Some are crazy about math and very confident; others are
competent but unsure of their abilities. We provide students with
the courses best suited for them by offering several different paths
through our junior high and high school math curricula. Some courses
move quickly to accommodate advanced learners. Other courses
provide more opportunity for repetition and reinforcement. Our
small classes create a comfortable atmosphere where students
grapple with challenging material, receive individual attention, and
practice flexible thinking and problem solving.
Science
Our junior high science curriculum focuses on life science for
seventh graders and physical science for eighth graders. Both
classes incorporate hands-on experiences, and students have a
healthy balance of group projects, labs, and lectures.
A seventh grader might learn about cells by creating a movie or study
biomes by using the latest technology. An eighth grader might study
motion and forces by racing mousetrap vehicles. All students learn to
use lab equipment, interpret experiments, analyze graphs, and solve
problems. There is strong interest in clubs such as robotics, birding
club, science club, and Odyssey of the Mind. All of these clubs help
push science beyond the walls of the classroom and provide students
with an opportunity to pursue a subject in greater depth.
Modern languages
Paideia junior high students study either Spanish or French. By the
end of eighth grade, students will have completed the equivalent
of one year of high school language. In Spanish and French
classrooms the target language is spoken from the beginning of
the school year, and teachers use a variety of techniques to aid in
comprehension and to develop reading and writing skills. Students
regularly participate in games, role-plays, surveys, and interviews
to practice speaking, listening, and grammar in a way that makes
the learning experience productive, engaging, and fun.

Homebase Extras
Each pair of homebase teachers puts their own stamp on their classroom to
create a unique community within the junior high. While some classrooms
spend more time working with the urban agriculture program, others leave
campus for service learning. One homebase might organize a “grammar
olympics” competition while another has a point system that encourages
their students to try new recipes or watch and analyze classic films.
Having six homebase classrooms in our junior high, each with its own identity,
creates a certain amount of friendly competition. Classes compete in
everything from field day sports events to reading bowl to current events
bowl to recycling. Some years there is a poetry slam competition. Other
years there is “haiku of the week.” While the junior high doesn’t have class
rank or honor rolls, we are not above using competition to create a healthy,
motivating, and fun rivalry.

Social Life in the
Junior High
Clubs
Parent-Organized
Activities
Tr ips
Dances
Athletic Events
Dinner & a Night
at the Theater
Mystery Night
Ice-cream Social
Mentoring
Broadway Musical
Short Term
Academic Bowl
A Cappella Groups

The Arts
In the junior high school all seventh and eighth
grade students receive musical instruction
about four times per week in one of three
ensembles: band, orchestra, or chorus.
Students learn music theory, instrumental
or vocal technique, sight reading, and
ensemble/concert etiquette. Each ensemble
performs in several concerts during the year.
Visual art students are exposed to a wide
and sophisticated range of materials and
techniques. Ongoing analysis of artwork helps
students develop an aesthetic appreciation,
art vocabulary, and a greater understanding
of individual artistic expression. Art projects
often include printmaking, self-portraits,
sculpture, drawing, and painting. One class
might make face jugs in the folk art tradition
of north Georgia potters. Another might
create paintings from photographs taken
around campus.

Sports
Junior high is a good time to begin a sport
not yet attempted or continue playing a sport
learned elsewhere. All of our teams have a
range of players from the inexperienced to
the advanced. Almost all junior high students
participate in at least one sport per year and
many play more than one.
In some sports, we have one team for the
more skilled players and another team for
those less experienced. For those new to a
sport, the emphasis is on participation and
learning the fundamentals.
The sports offered in junior high depend
on student interest but typically include
soccer, volleyball, ultimate, cross-country,
basketball, softball, baseball, tennis, track,
golf, and swimming. Paideia has facilities
both on campus and off campus at Python
Park in Avondale Estates.

Clubs and
Leadership
While junior high is a time of intellectual and emotional
development, it’s also a time to make new friends,
pursue one’s passions, and practice leadership skills.
We’ve found that participation in clubs is a terrific
way for students to grow in these areas. Clubs vary
somewhat from year to year based on students’ and
teachers’ changing interests. Favorites include science
club, academic bowl, book club, robotics, hiking club,
and climate change club. Typically they meet after
school, during lunch, and sometimes on weekends.
We kick off each school year with a Club Fest, during
More CLUB pix
which students talk to members of existing clubs and
sign up for groups they want to try.
In addition to clubs, we have a number of leadership
opportunities including a student council and an
admissions ambassador program. Student council
members meet weekly during lunch to plan and
organize dances, charitable drives, and other junior
high-wide activities. Admissions ambassadors host
prospective students on admissions visiting days and
give tours of the junior high.

We could design a junior high much
simpler to run than the one we have.
Scheduling would certainly be easier.
We have kept our format of homebase
class time and departmentalized
subject areas because we believe
this combination is more appropriate
to the intellectual, emotional, and
developmental needs of students this
age. We also think it allows for greater
creativity and individualization, a more
personal as well as a more compelling
way for children to learn. In addition,
such a complex mix of independence and
guidance, homebases and specialists,
high demands and informal atmosphere,
is ultimately a fitting reflection of this
dynamic, transitional age group.
We encourage you to read the other materials about Paideia, including those from the high school. We also hope
you’ll visit us – attend a junior high visiting program, dive into the website, and come to a sports event or concert.
There is so much going on in the Paideia junior high. This brochure is only a condensed version of the story.
We welcome your interest.

The Paideia School serves families with children
ages three through eighteen. The school actively seeks racial, cultural,
and economic diversity in its student body. Paideia is nonsectarian.
The meaning of the ancient Greek word paideia (pie-day-uh) has
changed throughout the centuries so that it has no literal translation.
Rather, it reflects the conscious pursuit of a series of educational goals
by a community. It conveys the concept of a child’s total education:
intellectual, artistic and social.
Paideia is different from most other schools and cannot be accurately
categorized by a single philosophy or approach. We encourage you
to find out more about Paideia by attending a prospective parent
meeting, by talking to students and parents involved at the school,
by touring, by reading our website, and by asking questions.
We welcome your interest.
Paideia does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion,
ethnic group, gender, or sexual orientation.
PAIDEIASCHOOL.ORG
© 2019. The Paideia School. All rights reserved.
Photo Credits: Danny Lee Photography, Lou Casillas, Kemi Griffin, Josh Lieberman,
Dan McCauley, and the Paideia yearbook staff.