Grades 6-8 • Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Middle school students are characteristically bombarded with ideas, feelings, and issues that can lead them to become self-absorbed and highly critical of themselves. To deal with these challenges proactively, Memorial Middle School's Character Education Coordinator, a classroom teacher, developed The Mirror Project as a way for students to learn about and embrace their unique identities. Over the course of the year, students develop personal portfolios that document their academic, emotional, and social growth. Students assume the role of "architect," designing and building their portfolios using the materials and procedures provided throughout each curriculum unit. Used to augment humanities courses, the themed portfolio contains multi-genre pieces and process-development tasks that are individualized to the specific learning styles and needs of each student. Students are encouraged to master their areas of interest, and then use these skills and strengths to tackle more challenging topics. This integrative approach to learning helps the student to see subjects as interrelated and interdependent. The finished portfolio allows students to explore the path of their own development and provides a detailed scrapbook of their achievements, obstacles, and independent reflections.