2018 Gazette issue 1

16 The 2018-2019 school year in underway, and the middle school students of Charlotte Preparatory School are off to a great start in Math. Our sixth-grade students are transitioning admirably to a new curriculum style and methods of learning. Students in seventh grade are engaged in the second half of the advanced track preparing them for Algebra next year. Eighth Grade is hard at work earning their high school Algebra 1 credit and preparing for the End of Course exam in the Spring. The transition to Middle School can be a daunting task regardless of where a student attends school. Here at Charlotte Prep, our students are switching classes and learning the core academics from multiple teachers for the first time. In Math, sixth grade students are currently hard at work developing the foundation they will need to tackle our Advanced Math curriculum. They have already delved into algebraic thinking and will continue to dive into the critical thinking side of math as math evolves past calculations and arithmetic. Our sixth-grade students have already shown a great deal of skill and talent, above all they have demonstrated excellent focus and a desire to set and achieve personal goals. In Seventh Grade our students are working hard completing the middle school Math requirements needed to be successful next year in Algebra 1. This year will see students exploring Linear Functions, Geometry, and Statistics. The seventh-grade students are motivated and have embraced a variety of learning strategies and study techniques. They have learned to deal with adversity and how to adapt to new and challenging content. The first part of the year sees the students tackling Geometry, we have already mastered translations, reflections, rotations, and dilations. The class demonstrated grit and determination while dealing with these challenging concepts and showed how dedicated they are to learning. Capping off the Middle School Math experience, our eighth graders have begun Algebra 1 and are using all the skills they have amassed while attending Charlotte Prep. Algebra 1 ends the year with the state EOC, and when the students pass the test at the end of the year they will be awarded their state required Algebra 1 credit for high school. Algebra 1 encompasses a wide variety of skills, but the most Important skill covered this year is Quadratic Functions. Students have already started learning the skills needed to gain proficiency in the latter half of the year. The first quarter has seen the students solving and graphing inequalities and learning the “hows” and “whys” behind the math. Across all grade levels in Math the students are also learning a variety of skills that will serve them for many years to come. Each student utilizes the Cornell Note Taking method, which as its name indicates was developed at Cornell University. By mastering a college proven note taking and study system in middle school, our students will be prepared for any content they will have in the future, without the need reinvent the wheel as they progress through their studies. The students are also learning how to take ownership of the material and their preparation. Our students have the skills and attitude to accomplish anything they set their minds too and we will continue to support their goals and assist them in their development as students, citizens, and lifelong learners.