Our Middle School program here at Richmond Waldorf School strengthens students’ intellectual, emotional, and social skills in preparation for high school and beyond.
A focus on the arts helps the students develop their capacities for self-expression, practicality, and self-reliance.
Through an interdisciplinary approach that reveals the connections among subjects, Middle School students explore essential topics and questions that will help them develop the foundation for a meaningful life.
6th Grade
Sixth graders are beginning to understand cause and effect, so the curriculum calls on them to apply this new capacity. Roman and medieval history introduce students to the foundations of modern society, while the geography of South and Central America addresses their interest in the world. Through projects and accounts of these subjects, our middle school students begin to express themselves ever more fully and creatively. Business arithmetic helps students understand the applications of mathematics to real-life situations, while pre-algebra and geometry develop their conceptual capacities. The science curriculum focuses on the lifeless realm—the mineral world and physical forces—challenging students to learn to observe and to understand the world around them.
7th Grade
Adolescence is a time of increasing self-awareness and self-expression. The 7th grade curriculum addresses this stage by focusing on the lives of the explorers, artists, and political and ecclesiastical reformers of the Renaissance and Reformation. Students come to know themselves better by studying the geography of Europe and the Middle East, and by learning how to write more creatively and expressively. Algebra and geometry develop new capacities of deduction and analysis, and courses in physics, astronomy, chemistry, and physiology challenge students to become keen observers and perceptive thinkers.
8th Grade
In 8th grade, students are eager to experience and understand themselves and their connection to the world and to other people. Through their study of the great revolutions and events of modern history, adolescents confront the idealism and realism of modern life. Geometry and algebra develop their powers of thinking, while physics, chemistry, and physiology hone their capacity for observation, deduction, and accurate reporting. Through their studies of literature and their exploration of the geography and cultures of Africa and Asia, students are challenged to develop greater self-awareness, critical thinking, and creative expression.
