The Middle School Chat
By Izabell Wright
The first-ever middle school chat has officially taken place on September 24. Although the NSA middle school is one of the best educational online systems in the world, the connection between middle school students has been low in the past. This year they took initiative and put together both an engaging and activity-filled meeting time for grades 7-8. Students were given games and nicknames throughout the call and asked to go into small groups to have one-on-one time with teachers and other students.
Although each grade usually has a group chat for daily random chats and memes, these aren’t supervised by teachers and usually don’t lead to much productivity. They can be a big distraction from regular schooling and daily tasks, especially for students who are very extroverted and would rather be talking than doing the task at hand. So, the teachers created a collaboration of a few teachers and made a specific time for the call that wouldn’t interfere with schooling and other responsibilities. Sadly, because it was a CDT timezone call, many students were unable to join because it would have been 2 or 3 am, but hopefully, there will be another call soon.
I talked to Shea Marshall about some of the students who are introverted or naturally don’t enjoy speaking up. How will they still be engaged and not be easily bored? “At this point, we are planning on making the sessions as interactive as possible, fostering social interaction while learning together. We are planning on playing a few games and/or learning activities that cause students to stay engaged and communicate with one another.”
I was also very intrigued to ask Mrs. Marshall about the reasoning behind not allowing the 6th grade to be involved in the call. “In the NorthStar organization model, sixth graders are still considered part of the elementary program.”
Thank you to Shea Marshall for answering a few of my questions! The call was an overall success; students interacted and new relationships were built. Although a few technical difficulties were encountered, the IT team figured it out and students were able to get back to the conversation quickly. It was a productive, yet congenial time and I am positive that all of the students involved had a great time.
The middle school can’t wait for the next call! Thank you so much to the administration and teachers for putting together something that is both enjoyable and lively!
Izabell Wright has been attending NSA for two years now and this is her first year writing for the Navigator. She has always loved writing and from a very young age, she was writing short stories and children's books. She loves to make videos and always has a creative outlet. Although she is still in middle school, she plans to become an environmental lawyer.