Blog 1
On February 1st, we took our first flying trip of the year! We flew to visit Alabama and Georgia. The purpose of this trip was to learn all about the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, and that purpose was definitely achieved.
Welcome to Compass! After settling in and preparing for the day ahead, we begin our day with Openers, which are held in the first twenty-five minutes of the morning.
Our journey to Detroit started bright and early. As we drove our school vans into the city, we made memories that will last a lifetime. When we finally arrived after the vigorous drive, we headed straight to the DIA.
In the second week of school, Compass junior high students and teachers embarked on a trip to Beaver Island. We took the school vans and drove to Charlevoix, where we then took a ferry out to the Island.
or the workshop, Democratic Movements we all got a chance to choose our own topic. Our assignment was to make a five minute presentation, a research paper, and an art project. Students studied topics like women's rights, immigration rights, maternal rights, non-proliferation and labor rights.
During the workshop, Applied Technology, we got the opportunity to travel to Pigeon Key and South Florida. The project we had to complete was fully submerging our team's ROV underwater and “flying” to the other side of the dock. The seven teams raced to see who could achieve the mission the fastest.
Having recently watched the new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, my mind is highly attuned to the realities of being a young person in a rapidly changing world. I left the movie deep in thought, thinking back at how I felt when I was first introduced to “The Times They Are A-Changin” when I was exactly the same age as my students at Compass Montessori Jr. High. Not unlike the early 1960s, the world today, and thus teenagers today, are experiencing massive cultural and technological transformations.
If you’re the parent of an emerging adolescent, you don’t need to be reminded that they are experiencing the first waves of a fundamental shift. They are Montessori’s “social newborn”, working out who and how to be in the society they have inherited. Their brain is undergoing a flood of changes, all of which influence decision making.
On Tuesday, October 22nd our class took our annual trip to Detroit. We stayed in Hostel Detroit for the week. The first day consisted of visiting The Detroit Institute of Arts and getting groceries at Meijer. The Detroit Institute of Arts came with many cool experiences. We split into van groups to tour the museum with our guides.
In the second week of school, our class took a trip to the Michigan Upper Peninsula. First, we visited Fort Michilimackinac. Fort Michilimackinac is a military outpost located in Mackinaw City. After, we visited the famous Soo Locks Boat tour. The Soo locks use gravity to move water in and out of lock chambers, allowing boats to travel through the Great Lakes.
Our class traveled to Harbor Springs to learn about the Anishinaabe and their incredible and inspiring history. Eric Hemenway was kind enough to teach us about his culture and the history of Holy Childhood, a Native American boarding school. We stayed at Wilderness State Park for the night and enjoyed Odawa classics that consist of wild rice, squash, and for a main, delicious fish.
Every year the intention of September is to orient new members to our community, challenge our returning 8th years with increased responsibility, and then unite the two groups into one. Week one begins with a staggered start with the 8th years arriving first to discuss their vision for classroom roles and responsibilities.