SIXTH grade teachers have initiated a program aimed at equipping their students with necessary “transition skills” as they move to junior high next year.
“As teachers, we have used standard and benchmarks to prepare students academically. Perhaps, we can also have activities to prepare our students emotionally and socially for the year ahead of them,” 6th grade teacher Rory M. Starkey of Oleai Elementary School said.
Starkey and a few other 6th grade teachers from Koblerville, William S. Reyes and Kagman Elementary Schools recently conducted a student drug-free dance night at GIG in Garapan to encourage friendship among 6th graders.
Starkey said similar activities will be held throughout the year for 6th graders.
He said 6th grade teachers had noticed “how difficult it is (to) leave their comfortable, sheltered, friendly elementary school to adjust to a bigger and challenging, junior high environment.”
With that in mind, he said, he and some teachers decided “to try and make a difference to prevent negative social behavior involving outgoing students.”
He said 6th grade teachers can plan activities together that would prepare students “to feel socially adequate for junior high school experience.”
He added, “The purpose is for students to get to know each other. Their familiarity will be a positive step for a healthy social attitude in junior high.”
