Academics at Phoenix

Mastery Assessment is an educational philosophy that focuses on students' deep understanding of subject matter, rather than their ability to accumulate points or compete for grades. It’s an approach aligned with Phoenix Middle School's guiding principles and aims to develop students who are accountable for what they are learning.

The basic idea of mastery-based learning is that learners progress from one skill, activity, or lesson to the next only when they have shown that they are ready to advance. In other words, they move to more complex learning tasks once they’ve shown an authentic understanding of the fundamental skills they need to truly learn those complex tasks. In a mastery-based learning environment, each new thing that students learn builds on itself, helping students develop sophisticated skills and understandings that prepare them for complex learning. The progression from lesson to lesson prevents learning gaps from forming and helps learners develop confidence and self-esteem along the way.

Phoenix is a Mastery Learning school that is based upon the integration of core curriculum with critical thinking, global education, fine arts, wellness, and community interaction. This is achieved through collaboration among the staff members, who work extensively to combine, streamline, and enhance traditional middle school curricula to make each student’s educational experience as meaningful as possible. The foundation for the curriculum is based on the Ohio Department of Education content standards and the Worthington Schools graded course of study.

• Connections - In a time of “alternative facts” and “fake news”, how can one decide what is correct and incorrect? How can we establish what is true or not true when we find competing claims about the truth? How do we make sense of what is happening in the world when there are so many different versions of current events in the news, on our social media, and in our daily conversations? We live in an era when many feel that it has become harder to trust the government, news media, and each other as reliable sources of information and knowledge—it is more important than ever for us to be aware of critical thinking and what it can do for us. Critical thinking helps to make clear how it is that we think and communicate about the world. Not only can critical thinking help us to navigate the claims that other people make, but it can also help us to improve our own thinking and communication.
   
• Global Cultures - To create a culture of peace and sustainability, it is essential to cultivate empathy in children. Researchers have attributed the ability to be empathetic to both successful learners and leaders by fostering the ability to look at different points of view. Empathy actually fosters creative and critical thinking. As a dimension of a student’s education, empathy can transform the way children embrace uncertainty – exploring, adapting to, and eventually anticipating a rapidly changing world.
   
• Language Arts - The ultimate goal of the middle school English Language Arts curriculum is to foster personal, social, and civic literacy. Since our society depends upon language as communication, students must be provided daily opportunities to enhance control of the skills needed to communicate effectively. Students should have multiple opportunities to deepen their understanding of language by applying what they have learned. The English Language Arts curriculum for grades 7- 8 is constructed around communication environments— settings for exchanging information that all of us enter when we need to communicate with clarity, purpose, and care. By teaching specific aptitudes that each environment requires from users of oral language, written language, and other media/technology, the curriculum strives to create real-life learning experiences for students to communicate in different contexts, for different purposes, and with different audiences.
   
• Math - There are a range of Math courses offered at Phoenix; Math 7, Accelerated Math 7, Math 8, Accelerated Math 8, HS Math 1, and HS Math 2. Student placement is based upon multiple criteria including State/Local Test scores from 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, 6th-grade teacher recommendations and evaluations, and the successful completion of prerequisite courses needed for placement in the Accelerated classes. The accelerated courses (7/8) take 3 years of math (7, 8, and HS Math 1) and condense that material into just 2 years of classroom experience. These classes, just as they are named, move through the material at a rigorous pace and a high level of student dedication is required for success.
   
• Science - We believe that the science program should strive to help meet the needs of all students. We should prepare individuals to use science to improve their lives and cope with an increasingly technological society. We attempt to produce informed citizens who are ready to deal responsibly with science-related social issues. Phoenix students use a variety of empirical approaches, techniques, and procedures to collect data from nature, examine and analyze that data, and construct knowledge based on it. This knowledge relates to living organisms, non-living matter, energy, and events that occur naturally.
   
• Social Studies - The Social Studies curriculum is designed for students to accomplish multiple objectives. Students will learn major concepts and themes from the following curriculum areas including History, Geography, Economics, and Government. Throughout the year, they will continue to develop and implement thinking, writing, reading, and listening skills within a social studies context. Through the social studies curriculum, students will continue to develop and apply skills in information gathering, organization, discussion, and presentation. In addition, students will be guided in the understanding of concepts and how to apply them to real-life situations. This content area helps students learn about the origination of values and how attitudes and values influence our actions and the actions of others. Students learn how to integrate concepts and factual information through inductive and deductive reasoning. Analyzing, synthesizing, and problem-solving are major objectives of the social studies program.
   
• Spanish - The study of language, history, and the cultural heritage of society helps to develop an appreciation and understanding of others. In addition, the study of foreign literature deepens the aesthetic values of students and enhances the level of their own cultural development.
   
• Wellness - The wellness program has been designed to follow the Phoenix school philosophy, physical fitness and lifelong activities are the core of the wellness program, through a number of various activities students are encouraged to learn cooperative games and the ability to work in social settings. Students are also encouraged to develop their own philosophies to aid in their personal wellness programs.

 

The value of arts education is now firmly grounded in theory and research. Phoenix believes that every child has the innate urge and capacity to be artistically expressive. Creative Start allows students to draw upon their creative abilities and deepen them, as well. The benefit is that creative thinking lasts for a lifetime and can be applied in other endeavors.

Each morning, all year, every Phoenix student participates in a “Creative Start” class—for example, orchestra, band, choir, art, digital art--that fosters creative expression.

The following Core Creative Start classes:

Art Studio - 7th / 8th
This course focuses has three major components: art history - the study of great art masterpieces, art current events - local and around the world, and studio - concentrating on the elements of art and the principles of design, to create strong compositions with a variety of media and techniques.

Band - 7th / 8th
The band provides students with learning and performance opportunities on wind and percussion instruments. The primary focus is on the development, continuation, and expansion of basic skills begun the previous year that are necessary for effective instrumental music performance. Students perform in at least two concerts a year.

Choir - 7th / 8th
Choir provides students with learning and performance opportunities using their voice as their instrument.  The primary focus is on the development of their voice through reading music notation, producing quality vocal sounds, using proper diction, and responding to the interpretations of the music.  Students perform in an average of four concerts a year.  Students with no prior experience are welcome to participate and no one ever has to sing alone.

Digital Art - 7th / 8th
This course introduces the student to basic and intermediate computer design in various media; conceptualization, organization, and implementation of design for publication. Basic elements and principles of design are explored through a series of projects that emphasize visual communication and creative problem-solving. 

Orchestra - 7th / 8th
Orchestra provides students with learning and performance opportunities on violin, viola, cello, and bass. The primary focus is on the development, continuation, and expansion of basic skills begun the previous year that are necessary for effective instrumental music performance. Students perform in at least two concerts a year.

A "Choice Creative Start" component begins the second semester, for students to have the opportunity to explore other fine arts. Details are shared in January of each year.

Foundations, like the name implies, focuses on developing the literacy skills and strategies that are the foundation for other disciplines. Both seventh and eighth-grade Phoenix students take Foundations for the entire school year.

Instruction and practice of any of the following may take place during this class  period:

• Reading Strategies
• Vocabulary Development
• Writing Skills
• Mathematical Skills
• Research Skills
• Technology Skills
• Media Literacy
• Study Skills
• Test Taking Strategies
• Learning Styles
• Communication Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Executive Function Skills
• Financial Literacy 

These skills and strategies will not only help the students in all classes but in life situations.  They are the foundation for all learning.

Phoenix Middle School places a strong emphasis on the importance of reading, which is why we have dedicated time in the school day for independent reading. During this time, students are given the opportunity to choose their own books and read without any assigned tasks or assignments related to the material. This allows students to explore their interests and find books that truly engage them, which can foster a love of reading and encourage them to continue reading on their own outside of school.

The benefits of independent reading extend beyond just fostering a love of reading in students. Allowing students the freedom to choose their own books and providing time for independent reading can also help improve their reading skills and increase reading stamina, or the ability to read for longer periods of time without getting tired or losing focus. This can lead to better comprehension and retention of the material they are reading, which can have a positive impact on their academic performance.

In addition to the individual benefits for students, independent reading can also have a positive impact on school culture. Encouraging students to engage in discussions about the books they are reading can help build a reading community within the school and promote the value of reading in our students' lives. It can also help students develop critical thinking skills and improve their communication skills.

Overall, independent reading is an important and valuable part of the educational experience at Phoenix Middle School, with benefits for both individual students and the school community as a whole.

Learning extensions is exactly that, an opportunity to extend our day to accomplish a variety of activities. Staff and students use this time to help complete mastery, catch up on absent work, and correct introductory and practice assignments. We also use this time for different activities driven by student interest through clubs. We have had a game club, Math Counts, E-Sports, dance club, theater club, rubik's cube club, Ski Club, and more. Your student can start a club based upon their interests with teacher approval.