The Importance of The Sixth Year

Last year, when Dr. Angeline Lillard was visiting RMS, she described the power of the final year (P3, 3rd grade, 6th grade, and 8th grade) of the three-year cycle in a Montessori classroom. Not only is it the capstone leadership year full of culminating projects, but Dr. Lillard’s research also shows that the academic concepts that students have been learning become internalized in the final year of the cycle. In P3, for example, students more than double their language and math scores from the P2 year. 

I think that one of the most brilliant aspects of Montessori is that 6th grade is in upper elementary versus middle school. In Montessori’s genius in designing an education that meets the needs of students, she understood that children in 6th grade are moving into the critical phase of early adolescence where they are figuring out who they are and how they fit into a group.

Their developmental need to belong means that they sometimes make choices that are not in their best interest in order to be accepted by their peers. Montessori positioned 6th graders as the oldest students, where they see themselves as trusted leaders and role models, instead of placing them as the youngest students where they are likely to seek approval from 8th graders and conceptualize themselves as followers.

This week, I sat down with a few of our 7th and 8th grade students to learn about their 6th grade experience:

Describe 6th grade in one word.

• “Thrilling” - Liam 
  “Adventurous” - Nico 
  “Challenging” - Chase
  “Experiential” - Sofiamarie

How is 6th grade different from 5th grade?

• “Sixth grade ramps up in difficulty and it feels like you know you can handle it, but you are also constantly moving toward something new.” - Caleb
• “Sixth grade was our first real big step forward. We did Expert Project and presented it in front of the whole school and parents. They did a great job getting us ready for middle school.” - Liam
• “The due dates are more rigorous. It really gets us into the mindset of ‘have this done by this time.’ That really prepared us for 7th grade.” - Sofiamarie

What advice do you have for 6th graders?

• “Care about the time because you don’t get it back.” - Nico
• “Definitely don’t procrastinate and ask for help if you need it. One thing I did was that I was a little embarrassed to ask for help and then I did ask and the teachers helped me so much.” - Liam
• “Have fun and don’t stress too much. I procrastinated and that wasn’t the best, but I learned from it.” - Sofiamarie
• “Whatever you don’t do, you don’t get rewards from – you only get what you work for.” - Caleb 

Well said, middle schoolers! I love how reflective you are!