Our Wildwood, Winter 2018, Volume 42

Our Wildwood /Winter 2018 16/17

Josie liked the 6th grade advisory check-in experience. “We had the opportunity during our morning share times to talk about what was going well and what we were struggling with,” she says. “It always made me feel better knowing that other kids were experiencing what I was.” Sixth grader Noe S. had a similar experience, “Advisory helps me start the day off in a good mood.”

SCAFFOLDING FOR SUCCESS

Wildwood intentionally structures student and parent experiences between elementary and middle school to provide insight and alleviate anxiety in the transition from 5th to 6th grade. In 5th grade, the Habits of Mind and Heart are introduced alongside the Life Skills to familiarize future middle schoolers with the concepts that will drive their learning at Wildwood’s middle and upper schools. To strengthen student self-advocacy, Wildwood’s 5th graders have a dedicated “collaboration time” every Friday, when all three of their core teachers are available for help and enrichment. This mirrors a similar structure that students experience in middle and upper schools.

Students also noticed that their middle school days flowed in a familiar way. “Having different teachers in 5th grade helped,” says 7th grader Josie B. All Wildwood 5th grade students move between three teachers for language arts, math, and social studies. “It made it a lot easier to move around to seven classes in middle school,” she says. Advisory is also a consistent and essential part of the transition. Wildwood’s middle school advisory program is designed to recreate the feel of an elementary school homeroom in a developmentally appropriate way. It provides a safe, familiar space for kids to get support.

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