Learning to Work Independently
In 5th and 6th grade, students begin to learn what it means to be in charge of their academic journey, something essential when they reach 7th and 8th grade. At CJA, this means learning habits that prepare students for the school day, such as having the necessary materials for class, learning to study for tests on their own and staying on task.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Fifth and sixth graders learn the importance of healthy relationships and how they act when in relation with each other. Our main focus is naming emotions and problem solving using coping mechanisms. There is also a strong emphasis on establishing a growth mindset. For example, we work with students to reframe thoughts like “I am not good enough” to “I did my best. That is enough.
Building a Classroom Community
Many students enter CJA for the first time in 5th or 6th grade. To help ensure these students feel welcome, we focus on community building during morning advisory meetings and dive deeper into student understanding of the Responsive Classroom tenets: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy and self-control.
