According to a recent study, students who participate in multiple field trips during the school year have higher test scores, perform better in class, and have increased cultural conscientiousness over time. Additionally, field trips will also bolster critical thinking, increase cultural growth, promote hands-on learning, and increases student engagement.

Read-alouds are often the best part of the school day in preschool, kindergarten, and even the early elementary years. Children are free to dream and wonder about the story their teacher is sharing. Young children often develop a love of reading because of the excitement this activity creates.

Unfortunately, there is no conclusive research that identifies that one has a real advantage over another. Yet, there are some important benefits to a co-ed elementary school worth highlighting.

The teaching of emotional intelligence was introduced at The Woods Academy Lower School to assist children to be “people smart.”  The goal is to develop children who can be sensitive to other people’s feelings and emotions, and who can take on a leadership role.

There is something magical about music. It is not often you see 25 children ages 3-6 all doing exactly the same thing at exactly the same time, unless of course, there’s a snack involved. But, when we are singing or reciting a poem, everyone is working together to hit the same pauses, the same inflections, the same pitch. Each child feels a sense of belonging and importance. Music connects and engages, providing endless benefits for social emotional development as well as academic skills.

In the month of October, second grade studied the author Leo Lionni. We read Fish is Fish, Swimmy, Color of His Own, just to name a few. After reading Color of His Own, we used key sequential words such as, first, then, next, and finally to retell the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Students utilized a graphic organizer to identify the events and details in the story. We then created a flipbook based on the main character, the chameleon.

Hoop Ball is a 13-step lead-up process before we play the actual game. The process starts by just throwing and catching, then adding movement, then a hula hoop, defense after that and then very small sided games. The game is the n finally introduced with two teams playing against each other, two balls and four hula-hoops.

Making connections is an essential part of school. When students feel connected to their peers and teachers, they are more motivated and perform better in school. In the Upper School, we focus on cultivating these relationships during advisory and class on a regular basis. Additionally, this year we were able to resume our overnights in Upper School classes. Their return has provided an opportunity for team building and bonding that has been missing during COVID.