Finishing Strong in Our Lower Schools

As we return from spring break and embark on the final term of the school year, we spoke with Cammie Passey, Director of Curriculum in the Lower Schools, to get a picture of what our young scholars can expect in the fourth quarter. We spoke with Cammie earlier this year after our return from fall break to reflect on the first quarter and to prepare us for the second term. You can read the full article here: Entering the Second Lap.

“Life within a school community has a seasonal rhythm to it that often disappears as we age,” said Passey. “This time we are entering a season of closure and letting go. It is an opportunity and time to close all the loose ends.” Passey explained that this term in the school year brings celebrations, times of reflection, and recognition for the accomplishments made throughout the year. It can be a busy time of year, but as a parent, remember to remain present in the moment and take time to appreciate the experiences.

The school environment is a community and learning is meant to be done in community with others. And so, it is important to acknowledge the reality that the community they have built this year is going to change.  It doesn’t mean that friendships they have built are going away, but it is not going to be the same. Next year, the classroom setting will change, the teacher will change, the familiar seating will change, even the curriculum will be different. “There will be some sadness, but there are really important life lessons in experiencing sadness and loss.”

While this term will likely be filled with excitement for the impending summer break with all the trips and activities that the extended break will bring, it can also bring some sadness for some of our lower school scholars. “There is a bitter-sweetness to it,” said Passey, while choosing her words carefully as to not make it sound too heavy. “It’s an opportunity to experience a bit of loss. They learn that this is the reality of being a person and being a person in relationship with others, and that loss is part of that. This community that they had this year was a steady and reliable community and it is coming to a close. It has an ending and I think that is really important to acknowledge.”

This part of the year also brings with it the reality of standardized testing. “The best thing parents can do is to make sure they keep their child’s routines as normal and regular as possible and to not add extra pressure to their students.” Passey stresses that parents need to put the standardized testing into context. “It is not the end-all, be-all of what we do. Our educational focus within Great Hearts is on the whole child and the long trajectory.” Passey explained that the purpose of the testing is strictly to get really good information and important data. “It is a temperature check. It is one moment in time. So, the biggest advice that I would like to give to parents is that they don’t need to feel overly stressed or overly stress their children about it.” Passey recommends that parents make sure their child is getting good sleep and eating healthy during testing time to help them perform at their best. Passey also advises that parents help their child through their feelings of nervousness about being tested, which is a normal reaction.

“It is really important for parents to know that this fourth quarter matters.” Passey urges parents to think twice before taking any earlier vacations before the school year is over. “It is really important for students to go through the entire school experience and be able to close out the end of the year.”

While they will be finishing up new content in many subjects, there is a lot of opportunity for curricular review during the fourth quarter, but Passey urges parents to not underestimate the power of review in the cycle of our young learners. “They will be spending a lot of time, especially in the last few weeks of school, revisiting the big ideas that they have learned through the year.” Passey also stresses that there will be new content introduced through the end of the school year as well.

Since much of the last quarter appears to be filled with celebrations and review, many parents may have the impression that their child’s attendance is not as important now as opposed to the rest of the school year. “Perseverance at this time really matters. Academically, it is a really important time in the school year. One of the principles of solid pedagogy is that students have the opportunities to reflect on their learning and to internalize it. So, providing many varied opportunities for students to be able to encounter the things they have learned is incredibly important. [Review and reflection] are the cornerstone of solid learning theory. Students need an opportunity to not only learn it and go, but they have to reflect and have some closure. There’s that word again, but closure needs to be a part of academic learning as well.”

The learning that takes place in the last few weeks, the emotions that are felt, and even the act of cleaning out their desks on the last day serve as the proverbial cherry on top of the ice cream sundae that was their school year. Let’s help them finish strong.

Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts?  Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org