Exploring Ethics in the Middle School with Neisha Payne

Exploring ethics has been in the forefront for the Middle School in February. The Middle School Ethics Bowl, the REBOOT Jr. Summit, workshops about deepfakes, and presentations at the International Coalition for Girls meeting have all taken place this month. We sat down with the Director of the Middle School, Neisha Payne, about how she sees ethics for students and the Leadership Team alike.   

We talk a lot about values at the Ethics Institute. Our whole decision-making process is a value-based one. What have you found to be the value of most importance to Middle School students?

Ms. Payne: Fairness. Middle School students are at a developmental point of evaluating the rules. Examining gray areas can be difficult. As they begin to transition from a more concrete way of thinking, they’re looking to assess why things are done the way they are and if decisions are equitable in terms of who feels the impact. In addition, they often have difficulty comparing the results of their own actions to those of their peers. 

In the Primary School, the rules are generated and enforced by their teachers, without much pushback. As students become more independent and have to make their own decisions, the idea of fairness comes up. Middle Schoolers don’t take rules for granted, and they evaluate what’s in existence. They also become more judgmental of the adults around them — a natural process in adolescence. It’s important for them to start evaluating those findings, and fairness is their metric for doing so.  

As Director of the Middle School, what values guide the decisions you make? 

Ms. Payne: I inherited the values put in place by Karen Rezach, Middle School Director years ago. We recently updated the values that both Middle School students and faculty believe to be most important: integrity, well-being, leadership, and a growth mindset. Integrity was a value in our Honor Code, and we continue to utilize it; the newest ones are well-being, leadership, and a growth mindset. 

For well-being, I want to make sure all decisions are made by considering the well-being of students from a number of areas: academic, emotional, and physical. And for growth mindset, when we’re thinking about disciplinary decisions, we want to make sure students feel that their mistakes aren’t being seen as something that defines them, but rather as an opportunity to grow and learn. 

Why do you think our Middle School students enjoy talking about ethics and ethical dilemmas? Why is it such an important part of their education? 

Ms. Payne: Middle School students love to see themselves in the situations. It’s great to be able to evaluate themselves in a fictional scenario, where it doesn’t feel quite as personal. Any conversations or judgments they make aren’t directed toward themselves; they’re about fictional characters and situations. I think they enjoy that. 

Back to the idea of fairness, Middle School students can address situations that have happened in the past, when someone didn’t act in a way that was kind or fair. They can use “ethics rewind” and look at how they would have wanted a particular situation to be handled. 

They also like to imagine themselves being older. When people ask what books our Middle School students like to read, they don’t like to read books about middle school kids; they like to read about upper school ones. They like to imagine themselves as a bit older than they are, and get a glimpse into what the world is going to be like for them as they grow up. The scenarios enable them to play a role in their world. 

An important part of our Middle School education is for students to be able to consider the “gray area,” something ethics is examining. It’s an important part of their development to be able to have the understanding that two people can make different decisions and both be right. This helps them develop empathy and consider multiple perspectives. And as part of the Ethics program, they start to define what their values are, who they are, and what they stand for. 

How else are you thinking about ethics in the Middle School? 

Ms. Payne: I know that the students who are participating in things like the Middle School Ethics Bowl are interacting with students in other schools. I wonder if there might be value for those who aren’t as tapped into ethics and who may experience it only in our Advisory program to be able to practice what they’ve learned. When our students speak to students from other schools, it helps them solidify their voices.