Middle school often gets a bad rap, but 7th-grade English and Language Arts teacher Mrs. Diana DeBoer can’t imagine teaching any other grade. “I love middle school students,” she says. “They are maturing into young adults and just trying to figure out who they are.”

Mrs. DeBoer guides this natural self-discovery through reading, writing, and grounding the students in the one Truth. “For this generation, especially middle school students, truth is kind of ambiguous,” she says. “They are constantly being told, especially on social media, that truth is what you feel, so truth becomes emotion. The real Truth should be based on knowledge that can only be found in the Bible.”

So how do you ground teens in Truth, plus get them excited to read and write? It all starts with creating a Christ-centered community in and out of the classroom. Last year, Timothy introduced nine Discipleship Practices that are integrated campus-wide into the curriculum. "We are working on making discipleship practices a part of the middle school culture," she says. "It's about expecting these values in our academics and the way we relate to each other."

And it’s working.

According to PS-8th grade principal Justin Horne, when kids feel loved, supported, and prayed for, some pretty amazing things happen in the classroom. “Every student is an image-bearer of God,” he says. “When kids realize this and start extending grace and peace, it gets easier to learn. In fact, our test scores are up. And it’s not a coincidence.”

In reading, students' median percentile grew from the 72nd to the 76th. Mrs. DeBoer’s goal for her 7th-grade students is to develop critical thinking skills and a love for reading and writing. The curriculum she uses includes six units, three reading and three writing. The writing units include narrative writing, argument papers, and creative writing. For reading, the units cover nonfiction, literary nonfiction, and historical fiction. Each unit is designed to build on students' abilities to think critically and express their ideas clearly.

“Every student is an image-bearer of God,” he says. “When kids realize this and start extending grace and peace, it gets easier to learn. In fact, our test scores are up. And it’s not a coincidence.”

"Read, read, read" is a constant theme in Mrs. DeBoer’s class. Every student has individual reading goals and is expected to read at least two hours outside of class every week. Why? Because kids who read simply for pleasure are likely to do significantly better in school than their peers who rarely read.

The evidence is overwhelming for the positive benefits of developing a love for reading (and not just for homework). One of her goals is to help every student discover their favorite genre. Trips to the library are common. “I have my students keep trying different genres and different authors,” she says. “I use short stories and graphic novels as an entry point. I try to engage every student."

42 Is Not Just a Number, the Jackie Robinson biography, is a fan favorite among her students. “It’s one of their favorite books,” she says. “But it’s not only accessible and engaging for students, but also serves as a powerful example of integrity and perseverance.” Another class favorite is the historical fiction, March Toward the Thunder, offering a unique perspective of the Civil War through Native American experiences, which enriches students’ understanding of history and empathy.

Writing is another key component of 7th-grade ELA. "We start off the year with writing a narrative. I have the students add their own characteristics, their hopes and dreams, and even flaws  into different characters in their story,” she describes. This method not only engages students but also helps them discover their voices by connecting personal experiences to their writing.

“My biggest goal in reading and writing is for students to have a theme or central idea and to support it with clear evidence," she states. This foundational skill prepares students for more complex assignments in eighth grade and beyond, including research papers and critical analyses.

Navigating Social Media

A simple Google search shows overwhelming evidence of how social media affects the mental health and well-being of teens. This can then seep into how they deal with friendships, homework, and ultimately affect their grades. “Social media is here to stay,” Mrs. DeBoer says. “But teaching kids how to navigate the good and the bad requires some wisdom and guidance.”

Three years ago, the middle school launched a series of social media lessons that are taught every Wednesday during Focus Period. It’s short, just ten minutes a week, but Mrs. DeBoer and the other middle school teachers talk about things like how social media loops are meant to keep you engaged or how easy it is to get bullied (or be the bully) on social media.

“It's all the things we think the kids should know,” she says. “We don’t want to emphasize the bad because there is a lot of good that happens on social media,” she explains. “But by hearing both sides, kids can protect themselves and their friends."

This holistic approach to education ensures that students are not only growing intellectually but also spiritually and emotionally.

Mrs. DeBoer finds immense joy in her work. “I get up, and I’m excited to go to work,” she says. “I remind the kids that I get to be here. I chose to be here. And I love seeing them grow into young adults who are figuring out what it means to be a student and a person of faith.”