Our Wildwood, Summer 2016, Volume 39

e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l f e a t u r e

by Steve Barrett, DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

ASM meets ZPD: What’s that?

THERE’S A WILDWOOD TRADITION THAT’S A FAMILIAR RITE OF PASSAGE ON OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUS—AND FAIRLY UNIQUE ALMOST EVERYWHERE ELSE. EVERY FRIDAY, IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

By the time the crowd roars its approval, a smile spreads over her face—relief and accomplishment. For her, the hardest part is over. The ASM went well! ZPD is real. But wait, we’ll get to that. … Each week, a pair of Wildwood 5th graders leads the weekly All School Meeting (ASM). As a team, they open the session, solicit schoolwide announcements, and

AN 1 1 -YEAR - OLD STANDS on a lighted stage, the sole focus of a crowd of more than 400 people. She’s there to make a presentation—about herself—which needs to be clear, coherent, and engaging enough to hold everyone’s attention. She’s nervous. And she delivers.