RPIS Life, through Middle School Eyes

Published October 31, 2024 − Brief student news staff bios are below the article

What are the main differences between RPIS Middle and High School?     

A main difference is the way Middle Schoolers communicate and interact. In High School, it’s much quieter than Middle School; students there are really focused on advanced topics. Middle School seems more relaxed because the subjects aren’t as complex yet. It feels very welcoming and friendly. 

How does Middle School compare to Primary School?

It’s not a huge jump, but for new students who are not used to doing everything in English, it can be an adjustment. By the second quarter, new Middle School students are more used to studying in English, and it gets easier. RPIS students help each other, especially with difficult subjects like Math. In Primary School, the material was new, but now it’s easier because Middle Schoolers have the basics already, so can make bigger steps of progress more easily.

Which subjects are your favorites?    

In Middle School, everyone learns core subjects daily: Math, English, Etymology, Literature, Science, and Social Studies. We all like Art and Music “mini-classes” (two lessons weekly). Recently, Art students made Zentangle pattern drawings—with repeating elements. We even decorated our classroom with them. In Music, at our October UN event, we performed while wearing costumes from around the world. 

Do you like playing sports?    

We are involved in athletics daily. A popular sport here is basketball, and we play other sports too. We’re okay at making baskets—not the best, but not terrible. In the past, there was more focus on individual skills, now attention is more on playing as teams. The coach has us doing physical conditioning, so there is a lot of running and climbing. Middle School students often play basketball with the High School. 

Do you have lunch and snacks in the RPIS Canteen?    

Lunch is the main meal and it’s delicious. Some of the food comes from the school garden. The menu is a mix of everything, especially Chinese, Japanese, Western, and Thai food. Sometimes we have Italian dishes, and on Fridays we always include Thai noodles. Students with special dietary needs are always accommodated. We also have snacks twice-a-day in the Canteen (sometimes a nice lady shows up to serve cones and cups of coconut ice cream from her cart). But what’s most important in the Canteen is that we use this time to chat and learn about each other more and more. 

Is friendship very important at RPIS?    

In our classes, we know each other very well, but not everything is transparent, much like any other family. Some of us have been together since Primary School. Some moved to RPIS or to Thailand more recently, and so we are still growing in those friendships. It is a very welcoming environment, so friendships grow quickly. Also, we have a small number of students per teacher, so we help each other with classwork and also enjoy having fun together.