Adolescent Middle and High School

The KMS Adolescent program focuses on the development of the student as a whole person by providing opportunities through project based learning, community mentorships, micro-economy, trips away from home as well as through individual and group lessons.

During a child’s transition to adulthood (a newborn adult) adolescent need to build confidence by being entrusted with real jobs and projects. They need to see themselves as the adults they will become and try out different occupations as well as positively interacting with their greater community through meaningful interactions with their peers.

Academics

Academic subjects are embedded in real life projects that are meaningful in the world, where students’ contributions have real weight and consequence. Units of study are divided into Occupations and Humanities. These will include sciences, math, literature, research, history, microeconomy, urban agriculture, social and community outreach.

Microeconomy

As the adolescent student develops, they have a greater need to participate and contribute to adult endeavors and find their place within society as a whole. We use our prepared environment and curriculum to help the students create a microeconomy, which is an avenue for the adolescents to explore adult life and responsibilities as well as try out different roles within our society. Students use mathematics, data analysis research, marketing skills, and entrepreneurship skills.

Preparing for the World

Adolescents need to experience life away from their family unit in order to practice using the skills required in adult society. To provide this much needed opportunity for independence, the adolescent students plan, prepare and attend several trips each year.

Enrichment

Our adolescent program includes a study of Spanish as our foreign language. Over the course of 7^th and 8^th grade, students will complete high school Spanish 1. Music and art are incorporated into both occupations and humanities, as well as used in self-expression with literature, poetry, drama, musical productions, and every-day community gatherings.

As the prepared environment is a microcosm for the greater world, we also utilize partnerships with organizations in the greater community to broaden our students’ understanding and participation in the world. Our partnerships with local universities and organizations allows us to have internships and mentorships with many local experts in a variety of fields.

Standardized Testing

Beginning in 3rd grade, KMS offers the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth Assessment test. This student-centric approach to standardized testing has become a popular choice for more and more Montessori schools and aligns with the TNReady testing program.

Just as Montessori is unique to each child, MAP Growth is a computer-adaptive test, meaning every student gets a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. As the student answers correctly, questions get harder. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier. By the end of the test, most students will have answered about half the questions correctly, as is common on adaptive tests. The purpose of MAP Growth is to determine what the student knows and is ready to learn next. It is also designed to track students’ individual growth over time, wherever they are starting from and regardless of the grade they are in.

“What a great environment for my kids! We love the staff, teachers and administrators!”

- KMS Parent, 2014

If you think your child would thrive in a Montessori environment, give us a call or schedule a tour online. We would love for you to visit our school and learn more.