Longwood Middle School question

A neighbor was telling me that the elementary schools go up to 4th grade and then the middle school is taught in "cluster" - she was saying that all the kids are in a big room divided up by bookcases like pie slices? What does that mean? Can anyone explain?

Thanks!

Re: Longwood Middle School question

Yes, I went to Longwood Middle School. It's an open concept building with no walls (well, mostly no walls).

The building is shaped like a dog bone, if you can imagine it. Each end is shaped like a semi circle. The classrooms within that semi circle are divided by lockers or dividing partitions. You can hear the classes on either side, but as a student, I never found it to be distracting.

The middle part of the building is also divided by lockers or partitions. Then, as you go around to the other side where the electives are, they too are divided by lockers or partitions.

It sounds like a weird concept, but as a student, it wasn't weird at all. I loved it there.

I do want to say that I went to the middle school in 1986-88 so things may have changed a little.... I doubt they constructed full walls, but maybe sound proofed things a little better.

ETA: I found this picture online to give you an idea of what it might look like:

Message edited 8/21/2011 9:48:15 AM.

Re: Longwood Middle School question

I think this is pretty common in schools out here in Suffolk. My DD had this in New Lane Elementary in the Middle Country school district.

Re: Longwood Middle School question

Sorry to crash but it's called an open classroom concept. There are only a few schools that still have this model on the island....two of them are listed by pp. They were popular for awhile but most have been converted to regular buildings. Reason being, it can be a very distracting environment. Teachers had to try to be on the same subject area at the same time Becquerel you can hear all of the other areas. If you have any questions, fm me. I taught in one for about a year.

Re: Longwood Middle School question

The MS is divided into 'houses'. Each house has 2 floors. 5th grade is downstairs, and 6th grade is upstairs. Each grade level house has about 6-8 classes divided by lockers or partitions as seen in the pic above. Teachers have partners and share 2 classes. They both teach ELA with their own class, then switch off for other subjects. The MS works on a block schedule. It's actually a very quiet environment given the open space.