One of the wonderful benefits of our school serving students from infant through 8th grade is that our Middle School students get to see and work with students that are much younger than they are. It is a wonderful way for adolescents to realize that others need their help and look up to them. Through our IB MYP program, students do service work that ties into their learning. For example, students help to teach Spanish to primary students, which helps them review their own Spanish.
Every Thursday they meet with the Primary students for 30 minutes to work on Spanish. It is a wonderful way for the oldest students in the school to connect with and mentor younger children. The children at all levels enjoy developing these nurturing relationships with each other and their weekly meetings become something both groups look forward to.
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The Middle School students are also volunteering in the infant and toddler classes. It was a thrill for some of the older students to volunteer in the very same classrooms they once attended as Toddlers! Part of our Middle School program is to ensure that the students utilize their abilities to be both leaders and productive members of the community. The opportunity to work with the younger students is a great way to practice these skills.
