Our Wildwood, Summer 2016, Volume 39

Students like Jenny S., who began her Wildwood career in the Pods, have seen this leadership modeled since kindergarten. “When I was in the Pods,” Jenny says, “I couldn’t imagine myself being up onstage as a leader.” She also benefited from watching her older sister, Molly, lead ASM when Jenny was in 2nd grade. “So as I got older,” she says, “I started thinking that this is something that I could do.” With the scaffolding in place, when the stage lights go on, Wildwood students rise to the occasion. And what’s on the other side? Relief, satisfaction, and new learnings. “Was I nervous? Of course!” Will says. “But as soon as I finished my presentation, all the ice was melted and the butterflies were gone.” “When I finished, I was so excited that I wanted to do it again,” Graham remembers. “And I wanted to show everyone that they don’t need to be scared. In fact—it’s really fun!” Jenny is looking ahead to 8th grade when she knows that she’ll need to transfer what she’s learned from her ASM experience to a much higher-stakes challenge: her Gateway presentation (an oral presentation of work to teachers, administrators, families, and peers). “My sister is preparing hers right now, and I can totally see how this experience will get me ready for needing to present about myself for 45 minutes,” she says. Another benefit of leading an All School Meeting is the connections that the experience allows others to make with you, as Will aptly describes: “Leading ASM is all about coming out of your shell in front of the school. It’s like opening a secret compartment in yourself that no one else knows about and shining a light on it.” WW

and provide them with modeling and appropriate support, they will rise to the occasion and be able to learn and do things that may have seemed out of reach last year, last month, or even last week. There’s solid theory behind that wisdom. In educational psychology terms, leading an All School Meeting is an example of learning within one’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). It’s an idea that began with the writings of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky back in the 1930s. In the space between what a child can do on his or her own—without any assistance—and something that he or she is incapable of—even with help—is the ZPD. It’s the sweet spot of learning and doing into which capable educators coax students. Ultimately, individual learners need to bravely venture into the zone. YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU Wildwood provides its 5th graders the appropriate scaffolding to be able to lead ASM. Students practice in multiple meetings with Seth Gordon, the performing arts teacher in charge of ASM, including a full run-through the morning of the meeting. And all Wildwood 5th graders see their peers go through the process— and come out happier and more confident on the other side.

person. A very new experience … and very unnerving.” Graham W. notes something that surprised him looking down from the stage. “The Commons [elementary campus gathering space] looks a lot bigger when you’re up there by yourself. I wasn’t expecting that,” he says. Liad B.’s ponderings indicate another common feeling among his fellow 5th graders. “When it comes right down to it,” Liad suggests, “you are the subject matter; you can be who you want to be when you lead ASM. Even though I have stage fright, I was being myself, so I felt confident.” Confidence doesn’t imply perfection, and Liad was OK with that, too. During his presentation, Liad demonstrated his acumen with juggling sticks, called flower sticks. “I’ve only been practicing for about a year, so I didn’t get upset when I dropped my sticks a few times in front of everyone,” he says. IN THE (LEARNING) ZONE Conventional school wisdom says that when you set the bar high for kids