Sixth Grade--Reflections and Summer Send-off

Hello, sixth grade parents. I am here around a table with your kids' sixth grade teaching team.  You've been off for about 10 days now, and I'm sending them off tomorrow for their summer, but we wanted to capture a little bit of how they've reflected upon this year for your kids. And so what I'd like to do is have them reintroduce themselves. You probably know at least one of them particularly well. You may know them all. But I'd really like to have you meet them as a team. 

6th Grade Team: Dawn Bowden, Beth Mennelle, Kate Summers, Lydia Tucker

Mrs. Tucker introduces herself as Lydia, who just finished her fifth year at PCA. She shares a fun fact about her first teaching job overseas in Vienna, Austria. Next is Mrs. Summers, Kate Summers, who has taught at PCA for four years. She shares that her entire family is part of PCA, which has been fun and enriching. Mrs. Bowden, Dawn Bowden, is in her second year teaching science at PCA. She shares her passion for marine biology and her experience of swimming with dolphins. Lastly, Beth Mennelle, who joined PCA in January, talks about her transition from being a radio disc jockey to teaching in her 40s.

The episode focuses on the growth the teachers have seen in their students over the year. Mrs. Summers shares how her math class, which started with anxiety and reluctance, transformed into a group of independent and hardworking students. Mrs. Bowden discusses the significant growth in critical thinking skills in her science class, illustrated by an open-ended project where students had to explain their reasoning.

The teaching team emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and the classical model of education they follow. They introduce the dialectic or logic stage to the students, focusing on abstract thinking and piecing things together. They share stories of students overcoming challenges, from engaging hands-on activities in science to thoughtful literature discussions in Mrs. Summers' class.

The teachers also highlight the spiritual growth of the students. Mrs. Mennelle shares a touching story about her students' compassion and willingness to pray for her during a personal crisis. The teachers integrate Christian character and faith into their lessons, from Bible study to connecting scripture with science and literature.

Looking ahead, the teachers discuss their excitement for the students' transition to seventh grade. They note the significant growth in executive functioning skills, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy. They encourage parents to reach out with any concerns and to help their children develop these essential skills.

For new families joining PCA, the teachers advise reaching out with questions and encouraging students to advocate for themselves. They acknowledge the challenges of transitioning to sixth grade and assure parents that they are there to guide and support the students through this change.

As the school year wraps up, the teachers and I pray for continued growth in the students' minds, hearts, and relationships. We wish you a wonderful summer, filled with rest, excitement, and God's blessings. We look forward to seeing you all on campus in August.