MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME
Brockton’s Grade 6-9 & 10 curriculum is taught within the framework of the BC Ministry of Education and the International Baccalaureate (IB) organization’s Middle Years Programme (MYP). The Middle Years at Brockton builds on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes developed in the Primary Years, and students continue to make connections between their studies and how they see themselves in the world. There is an aim in the Middle Years to develop active learners and internationally minded young people who can empathize with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning. The program empowers students to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of significance locally, nationally and globally. The result is young people who become creative, critical, and reflective thinkers.
The Middle Years at Brockton is designed to engage students in an exploration of their academic content through the use of global contexts. Middle Years students develop an understanding of their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet through developmentally appropriate explorations of: personal and cultural expression, orientations in space and time, scientific and technical innovation, fairness and development, and globalization & sustainability.
MYP is comprised of eight subject areas, and each year the students will participate in an interdisciplinary unit where they will explore a situation or problem through a synergistic application of knowledge and skills from two different disciplines.
COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT NETWORK
Brockton maintains an expansive Student Services department and support network. Among other things, the Student Services team provides personal counselling, learning resource support (gifted and learning difference needs), social-emotional learning support, mental health guidance, and more.
MIDDLE YEARS SPECIAL PROJECTS
Following from the Exhibition of Grade 5, students continue in their journey of deep and meaningful learning through various activities including but not limited to: Human Rights Museum, Community Action/Service Projects, STEM/STEAM competitions and engagements, and more. These are often opportunities that challenge students to stretch beyond remembering and understanding and into connection, application, analysis, evaluation, and creation. In the Grade 10 year, students celebrate such meaningful learning through the IB MYP Personal Project. This project is designed to be a culminating project for students so that they may both demonstrate their application of the ATL skills, and engage in a project of their choosing for an extended period of time.
ELECTIVE OFFERINGS AND SPECIAL STAFF
A goal of the Middle Years is to support students to further their solid foundation of core curriculum as well as to expose students to a variety of areas of potential passion. Specialist teachers lead specialist/elective offerings. Brockton teachers are well accustomed to having varied prior experiences of students in their courses and differentiate learning accordingly.
Some of the specialist/elective offerings might include but are not necessarily limited to: visual arts; performing arts – music, drama, and more; design technology; physical education; outdoor education; greater good; and more. Please contact our Admissions team for more information on course offerings for each grade level.
THE POD APPROACH (GRADE 6 & 7)
The POD is a small, self-contained community within the broader Brockton community, specifically designed to help students transition from the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) to the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and to prepare for the shift from elementary school to high school. At an important time in a child’s socio-emotional development, our POD program helps students transition from junior to senior school by offering a small, supportive social cohort. During these two years, students learn to further develop their Approaches to Learning skills, they are thoughtfully introduced to MYP marking and assessment practices, and they begin leadership and service work. The POD program is unique to Brockton and has shown a measured and positive impact on our grade 6 & 7 students.
GREATER GOOD
In most schools within BC, elementary school comes to an end at grade 7 and high school begins at grade 8. Brockton is respectful of this common alignment and thus makes some structural transitions at the grade 8 level in particular. One of the programs introduced at grade 8 and through grade 9 is the Greater Good program. Conceptually driven by the Berkeley Greater Good Institute, this course is taught by specialist staff who use the foundation of this course to support students in navigating the unique challenges of this developmental time of life in a manner that is meant to provide life-long lessons.
COMMUNITY ACTION TEAMS
One of the unique aspects of life in the Senior School is our Student Leadership System. In this system, students work on creating and leading community campaigns that focus on raising awareness of the importance of multiculturalism, mental health and well-being, environmental stewardship, poverty reduction and the importance of a safe and supportive school community. These teams help organize events, campaigns, fundraisers, and service opportunities for team members and the broader school community. They also focus on education within our school community, and at the more senior levels, students begin exploring social justice issues at a deeper level. Peer mentorship is a pillar part of the program.
THE WORLD MUSIC PROGRAM
Brockton’s internationally recognized World Music Program begins when students enter grade 6. This unique program uses marimbas to teach students a number of skills in music theory and practice. In addition to the fundamentals of music students purposefully learn by design to collaborate, persevere, problem-solve, create, self-manage, and to see beyond themselves to the group as a whole. Skills which are transferable to life and to the growth of outstanding humans. Our music students have travelled internationally and played in some of the most famous concert halls in Vancouver and the world.
