When students feel like they belong to a community, that they are in the right place, they are more likely to succeed academically. And they’re more likely to stay in school. (KQED)
Transitions are important in the lives of young people. Moving from elementary school to middle school, or from middle school to high school, represents a big change in academic expectations, schedules, and social lives. These powerful moments of transition are also times when schools can focus on building a sense of belonging among incoming students that could make a lasting impact on their ability to achieve academically.
On the first day, students were placed in small groups with a Learning Coach. These groups helped students get to know each other and open up in a smaller setting, like an advisory. A Learning Coach at South Bronx Community Charter is not a credentialed teacher, but rather someone skilled in youth development. Often these folks have experience leading after-school programs or working in the community.
“I was hesitant because I didn’t really know these people,” said freshman Hailey Miranda about sharing personal things with the group. But ultimately she decided she felt safe because of the vulnerability her group leader modeled. “She was really opening and she was helping us, even though she didn't really know us,” Miranda said.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, the school held a graduation ceremony, inviting students’ families to be part of the transition into high school. Students hung their finished self-portraits on the wall, and families did a gallery walk through them. Learning Coaches had also reached out to parents ahead of time, asking them to write an artist bio of their student highlighting their good qualities. Reading these was an emotional experience for many students.
Students also discovered on the last day of Summer Bridge that the small groups they’d spent all week cultivating would be their advisory groups all year. They'd be entering the first day of school with solid friendships already formed. It took some of the pressure off. Clemente participated in a New York Department of Education fellowship to design a “breakthrough model” school. He and a cohort of other educators designed a model they thought would create radically different outcomes for low-income teens. They planned to implement the model in four district schools and four charter schools.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Colorado STEM school where shooting happened didn't have a sheriff's officer due to prior disputeThe Colorado STEM school where a shooting left one student dead and eight injured didn't have a resource officer on duty after a dispute last year with the county sheriff's office, documents show.
Read more »
The best public high schools in every stateSchool-ranking website Niche rated the best public high schools in the Us. Here are the top-ranked high schools in all 50 states.
Read more »
There have been 15 school shootings in the US so far this yearFrom Georgia to California, at elementary, middle and high schools and on college and university campuses. We're 19 weeks into 2019, there have already been 15 school shootings in the US in which someone was hurt or killed.
Read more »
Minnesota teacher placed on leave after using N-word in front of middle school studentsA Minnesota teacher has been placed on leave after a video showing her using a racial slur while speaking to middle school students went viral, the district said. - NBCBLK
Read more »
Student 'geek squads' maintain school devices, help teachersBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo kindergarten teacher Maria Spurlock was still struggling after trying for more than a week to get a reading app working on all of her classroom iPads. When she learned...
Read more »
Colorado STEM school students helped disarm gunman'We're going to hear about very heroic things that have taken place at the school,' the sheriff said Wednesday of the shooting at a Colorado STEM school.
Read more »
One student dead in shooting at suburban Denver school, police say; seven other students injuredMultiple injuries are reported at a suburban Denver school as police responded to reports of gunshots, according to law enforcement authorities.
Read more »
Eat At Panera And We’ll Reveal Which High School Clique You Actually Belong InYou are what you eat.
Read more »
School district to serve students who owe lunch money cold sandwichesA Rhode Island school district will begin serving students who owe lunch money cold sandwiches rather than a hot meal.
Read more »
This student died trying to stop the Colorado school shooterAfter a classmate pulled out a gun in class, Kendrick Castillo couldn't just stay still. He died when he lunged at the shooter, giving other students at STEM School Highlands Ranch enough time to hide, his family and a classmate said.
Read more »