exploring LEARNING

or students who enrolled in either the Lower School or North Campus, one can vividly remember traveling from class to class with the same group of students. Placement did not yet divide students into their classes. Random selection determined whether you would or would not be in the same class as your best friend. Yet, there was always another exploring LEARNING group of students in a smaller homeroom class who stayed together year after year until they moved to the Middle School. This was not the result of random selection but of the Transition program. Among those students was Micaela Stewart ‘20 who started Transition classes Remembering what she needed as a in Primary School. Transition student, Micaela Stewart “When it comes to the Transition program, [they] obviously have good intentions, but they do isolate you from what we call the set out to fill that need for others. mainstream program,” Stewart said. “You’re on a different side of the hallway, and you’re on a different floor. It was hard to interact with the other kids because you couldn’t relate to them. You only by alina noorani interacted with them during lunch, after school or in the morning. It was kind of difficult because every kid wants to fit in when they’re young.” As a former Transition student, Stewart clarified what the purpose of the program was and who was eligible to take these classes. “The Transition program is for students who have learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia or ADHD,” Stewart said.

“When it comes to the Transition program, you [learn] the same tutoring program. It turns into a mentorship program where kids talk thing as everyone else does, but they break it down step by step by about issues that may be going on at school or that go on at home.” step.” Stewart coined the term “the Transits” for the Upper Schoolers Before enrolling at Woodward her third grade year, Stewart said who served as tutors and mentors. she was falling through the cracks. Her mother felt that Stewart would “The actual program [started] my 11th grade year, but I had excel best with the individualized help of the Transition program. to get it approved by the Lower School and the Upper School,”

While the program was beneficial for her, Stewart said she struggled Stewart said. “It was a difficult process. I had to go through [the] with some aspects of it. Transition department head, and then I had to go to Ms. Ronda “You’re with the same Zents and Dr. Jonathan Merrill. I also wanted this to be a service kids for three to four years opportunity for students, [until] Middle School,” so I had to get it approved

Stewart said. “You’re stuck “[We] really wanted them to know that this is about for Helper Helper. We with the same people, [but] you become really close sharing your strengths, sharing your story and sharing didn’t actually start going over there until probably with them. Those are the only people that you have. your tools.” Ms. Kendra Clemons September this year.” Ms. Clemons played

It was pretty difficult. I a key role in the startup wished that I had [an] older of the program, helping [student] to help me not overthink things and [help me] with my Micaela reach out to the Lower confidence.” School Transition program. Remembering how she felt growing up in the Transition program, “I was excited,” Ms. Clemons said. “I was actually beyond excited.

Stewart voiced her concerns about the Peer Konnect tutoring Many students who have learning challenges don’t have the same program to Ms. Tonya Dedeaux, School Counselor, after realizing opportunities as some of the other students to offer their skills and that it was not offered to Transition students. With the help of their talents to younger peers. This program allows students to really

Ms. Kendra Clemons, Accommodations Coordinator in the Upper show their unique strengths and show how they have overcome their

School, Stewart started a mentorship program for Lower School learning challenges. They have an opportunity to share what I call

Transition students and recruited other former Transition kids in the their toolbox, what they’ve used to overcome and be successful in

Upper School to join and help. school. [I wanted] to do whatever I could do to help see this come “We wanted to give [former Transition students in the Upper to fruition.”

School] the opportunity to share skills that they’ve learned,” Stewart Ms. Clemons helped former Transition students like Stewart get said. “Not only learning skills, but also life skills too. It’s not just a accustomed to the Upper School. 22

“I met Micaela her ninth grade year,” Ms. Clemons said. “I [was] to see themselves in their mentor, and they see that they can still helping her become accustomed to using accommodations in the be successful once [they’ve] finished work within the Transition Upper School because when you’re in the Transition program, they program,” Ms. Clemons said. “They get to see the tools and strategies come from smaller class settings. Helping her use accommodations that their teachers are teaching them [and] that they actually work. in the Upper School and helping her become her own advocate, They can then take ownership of those tools.” Micaela has been a rock star doing just that. It has been such a joy One day when things didn’t go as planned, Stewart realized how watching her take ownership of her learning, and then take that and much of an impact the Transits were making. become a mentor to other kids.” “I remember one day nobody went,” Stewart said. “It was as soon To garner support and build a foundation for the program, as we got back from winter break, and everybody was busy. [The Stewart and Ms. Clemons recruited students to join as mentors. Lower School students] were sad and disappointed. They really do “We hosted an informational meeting [with] all current 10th, 11th care when we go over there.” and 12th grade students who were former Transition or who had Parents of Transition students thanked Stewart and accommodations,” Ms. Clemons said. “[We] wanted them to told her that the mentor program made a real difference in know that this is a bit different from tutoring. You may not the lives of their kids. Stewart said she appreciated teachers be really good at a subject, but you have learned special skills like Ms. Denise Twiss, Ms. to overcome your learning challenges in that subject. [We] Jenny Broad and Ms. Jeanine really wanted them to know that this is about sharing your strengths, Duke who always thanked the sharing your story and sharing your tools.” mentors for coming over and One of the members of the Transits, Shay Patel ‘21, recalled helping their students. his experience at the informational meeting and how Stewart “Their feedback helped me encouraged him to sign up. because this is more than just “When she first introduced the program, she was very energetic tutoring,” Stewart said. “This and very passionate about it,” Patel said. “That was one thing is more than a Woodward that led me to want to join. If she had that type of energy for the education-based thing. We’re program, then I knew it could be very successful. She was probably actually helping these kids with the person who put in the most hours to the program. I think that’s their confidence and their selfwhat helped me get into it.” esteem.” With the program up and running, the Recognizing her efforts to first step was interacting with the Lower make the program a success, School kids. Ms. Clemons said Stewart “I think they were a little bit intimidated demonstrated hard work and a driven attitude. because upper schoolers don’t interact with “Micaela has been overwhelmingly passionate and the Lower School like that,” Stewart said. consistent, and this has been a wonderful experience watching “Some warmed up to us pretty quickly, her grow,” Ms. Clemons said. “She has become her own and others were a little bit more shy. A big advocate, and not just her own advocate. She’s advocating change would be that they’ve been so much for the whole learning support community. To say ‘Hey more open [now]. They’ve been more here’s a need, and I have a suggestion to fulfill that need’ is so willing to participate. They’re excited to get things done, and they’re excited to play caption goes here powerful. It really speaks to who she is, how resilient she is and the young woman that she’s become.” games and learn. We get excited to go back Stewart said she planned to continue her studies at over there.” Spelman College in Atlanta, Georia, and Ms. Clemons said she hopes Ms. Clemons noticed changes within both groups of students. the mentoring program will keep going. “It empowered our Upper School students,” Ms. Clemons said. “The hope is to grow and expand because it helps on both ends “They have really taken ownership of how they learn, and [how they of the spectrum,” Ms. Clemons said. “You get students who have are] able to share those tools with the students.” an opportunity and those who may not always have a traditional Throughout the program, the mentors discovered new ways to opportunity to share their special skills. The hope is that it grows help using their own experiences. throughout the [entire] Transition program.” “You learn new techniques and different strategies to handle and Patel said he planned to keep mentoring during his senior year. counteract certain things,” Patel said. “So, for example, you can learn “I hope it carries on through the years because it is very beneficial how to time manage way better and how to go through work much to the kids, and I think it is very fun to do,” Patel said. “I enjoy going faster.” down there for one hour which is a good bit of time.” Stewart said sharing her experiences taught her that she’d An hour at a time added up to make a major impact. cultivated more of a tool box than she’d previously realized. “A lot of people don’t realize the difference that you make when “[What] I realized is the strategies that I learned, they may be it comes to helping a child, and how much they want your help,” more tedious and they may be longer, but they really do help,” Stewart said. “Since we’ve been down there, a lot more kids have Stewart said. “Doing note cards, writing [on the] carpet and using a been coming to the study hall program. They’ve been really wanting lot more sensory things, they really do help you.” to learn [what] we do, like different group activities and one-on-one After its pilot year, Ms. Clemons took stock of the mentor sessions. Students’ grades have improved, which is amazing, and program. it gives you a sense of endearment in a way because it’s like, wow, “What we hear from the Lower School students is they get you’re actually making a difference in somebody’s life.”