Age 12 – 13
Students of this age become very focused on the outside world. At the same time, they are undergoing physical and psychological changes, which can leave them with a certain inner insecurity. So while on the one hand they are ready to reach out to meet the world, on the other they can become uncertain, incommunicative with adults, and hide behind masks. They search for their own identity, and are keen to voice their opinion, but cling to the jargon and clothing of their peer group.
Physical:
- Increased growth in the limbs, with awkwardness, particularly the boys
- Reproductive changes are in full swing
Cognitive:
- Conceptual thinking starts to come to the fore
- Developing critical abilities
- Eager to expand their knowledge of the wider world
Emotional:
- Growing sense of self, a new relationship to the world as “a teenager”
- Challenging the authority of adults
- Yearning for independence
- Alternately very physically active and engaged, or lethargic and uninterested
- Very conscious of, or self-conscious about, their bodies
- Strong friendship groups among their own sex
Needs of this age:
- Studies and activities that allow expression of their growing critical abilities
- An approach which helps their inner self meet the outer world
- Information about, and understanding of, the wider world in a way that allows them to connect with it.
- Activities that engage their actions with their thoughts
- Cognitively, subjects such as chemistry which combine concept and percept
- A teaching style allowing more expression of student views and participation in decisions, but maintaining consistency of expectations and boundaries
Steiner Curriculum themes to meet the needs of this age:
Themes underlying main lessons
- Expanding out in the geographical world – The Middle ages and The Age of Discovery
The Year 7 syllabus opens up a much wider world. The geographical boundaries expand into the Middle East and Africa, covering the rise of Islam and the Crusades. Against the turbulence and conflict of this period, King Arthur and his knights, with their code of chivalry, fight for the ideals of the human race – for truth, beauty and goodness.
Through the voyages of the Age of Discovery, the boundaries are further expanded into the Far East and the Americas, by great explorers such as Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, and Columbus.
In geography, contrasting regions, especially those unfamiliar to the students, around the world are examined
- Expanding out in art and scientific thinking – The Renaissance
With the Renaissance we have the birth of individual consciousness in European culture Explorations of the geographic world are paralleled by explorations in the realms of science and mathematics. The work of the Greek thinkers- Aristotle, Pythagorus, Archimedes, leads on to those of the Renaissance – Copernicus, Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo and many others.
The mastery of perspective by the great Renaissance artists and architects and the more scientific approach of Leonardo da Vinci, bring a new depth to art lessons. The intention is not to analyse the deeper meanings of each painting (which is better done when the students are more mature in senior high school) but to capture the excitement of the mood of discovery, through biography and the following of ideas.
- From the concrete to the abstract in science and maths
In Physics the focus is on mechanics – practical ways of working in the world, and studies of inventions that brought changes to society. The approach is still experimentally based, but there are a few more steps made in hypothesising, structuring experiments to test the hypotheses, and drawing conclusions.
Chemistry is introduced for the first time, exploring the inner physical nature of thing, and they transform from one state to another. The history of alchemy links with the other historical themes. Observation and practical experience in experiments lead students to the formation of concepts.
Algebra - representing the concrete with the abstract, expressing formal, logical processes.
- Bridging the inner and outer worlds through literature
The focus in English is on the student’s individual relationship to literature.
Novels, lyric poems and plays are chosen which call for an emotional response and thought about friendship, courage, aspiration, longing
Casuarina also has a main lesson on creative writing expressing different moods, and exploring favourite poems and prose chosen by the students.
- Human beings and our place in the world
In Biology, the focus is on the human being, meeting the interest of the students in their own changing bodies. The emphasis is on taking responsibility for one’s own health, nutrition and sexuality.
Practice & subject lessons related to these themes:
- Music and dance from a wide variety of cultures studied in main lesson
- Eurythmy -geometric formations as external forms, mood expressions as inner forms
- Art- perspective related to physics and Renaissance themes
- Gardening – tends to have a stabilising effect during this period of turmoil; also caring for nature, physical exercise, sense of responsibility
Class 7 Main Lessons
- Wish, Wonder & Surprise – Expressive Writing
Genre – Reading and Critical Analysis, independent research, book summaries, issues of historical and social relevance from varying viewpoints and begin to way one against the other. This can be included in the history strand, as well as novel studies in middle lesson. - Algebra
- Geometry – incl pi, circumference of a circle, Pythagorean theorem, problem solving
- Number Theory incl negative numbers, graphs and statistics
- Tales of King Arthur
- Renaissance
- Age of Discovery
- Chemistry – An introduction: imaginative approach, within a general physical and historical context. The history of alchemy and biographies of scientists linked to the medieval and renaissance main lesson themes. Fire, Air, Earth and Water, (usually as a main lesson )– combustion, metals, salts, acids, bases
- Physics – Mechanics – levers and pulleys
- Physics – Acoustics, Optics and Heat, Electricity and Magnetism
- Physiology – The human body systems with an emphasis on health and nutrition. Breathing, circulation, the skin, the senses, body rhythms, digestion and reproduction. Substance abuse, nature of addiction, caffeine, coffee, chocolate, sugar, bad habits (chewing fingernails)
- Birthing Main Lesson (6 or 7)
Teaching styles:
- Teaching needs to show strong interest and engagement with the subjects
- Students respond to and respect specialist knowledge brought by subject teachers
- Imaginative and experiential approaches to potentially “dry” scientific subjects, always moving from the concrete to the abstract
- Students will respond to exercising their increased independence by being involved in planning
- Their new individuality allows for more ambitious special projects related to main lesson themes especially in mechanics; completing the task is essential
- Social skills development continues – orientation to high ideals, charity work
- Peer support activities, especially assisting younger children