trevordayschool

cite sources, debate, use evidence to make arguments, and write a research paper. Reflecting on the Common Room at Trevor—specifically the access students have to their teachers and each other—Mr. Sullivan commented, "It's easier to teach about ancient communities when we have a community all around us. e Common Room is a powerful tool for teaching about the development of social identity, both past and present. e elements that make a school what it is are the strength of community and the depth of thought about what is being taught. at is where Trevor excels." e new 8th-grade curriculum explores the medieval world. With David Zheutlin at the helm, this course examines the medieval world within and beyond Europe, with Constantinople, year 330 AD as the starting point. It navigates the fall of the Western Roman world and the rise of a new Christian east. From there, the course tackles the spread of Christianity across Europe and that of Islam across the Middle East and North Africa. e dispersion of religion provides a template for the study of an increasingly interconnected world, which includes feudal-era Europe, and the wild journey of Genghis Khan and his conquest of China. Inter- spersed within this historical study is an examination of the modern-day Middle East and contemporary conflicts of religion. Students improve their verbal and writing skills through frequent writing assignments, debates, projects, oratory competitions, and two major research papers. Mr. Zheutlin aims to empower students to contribute to historical debate by evaluating sources, agreeing or disagreeing with perspectives, and ultimately, developing informed opinions. He believes that all of these aptitudes are a part of the historian's opportunity and responsibility. 0 9 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L n S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6 According to Mr. Zheutlin, "Eighth grade is a magical time of increased self-awareness." He continued, "I try to get the kids to take sides…and empower them to use the voices of past and contemporary historians to support their perspectives, so they can confidently say, 'Hey, this is how I feel and this is why I'm right to think this way.' As they get ready for high school, it's important that they own their opinions, but also that they allow for malleability in their perspective as they learn from others' viewpoints." e trio of teachers believes that the success of the curricular shift has less to do with the topics they cover each year and more to do with the process of learning and the development of students' skills. Topics may shift, but the teachers are focused on providing the skills that each grade level needs. It is a responsive process aimed at the students' needs. e teachers keep the destination in mind, and they have an exciting flexibility about how to get there. As Ms. Monteleone reminded us, "We teach students, not curriculum." posing questions that foster informed discussion and reasoned debate…appreciating the diversity of cultures and variety of historical contexts…and distinguishing elements of our shared humanity

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