Teach-In

Addressing Adolescent Development

BY FLYNN CORSON, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

We rely on our students as experts of a culture that in so many ways is unrecognizable to someone of a previous generation. As a result, they are called upon not just to learn during Teach-In week, but to teach.

Each year during a one-week period that falls between semesters, the Middle School engages in a health and wellness program we call Teach-In. Popularized in the Vietnam War era, Teach-Ins were originally designed to examine and honor real-world issues. Their programs were based on the belief that students and teachers could learn from, and alongside, one another with an eye towards action-oriented outcomes.

Despite having no political or anti-war bent, the Middle School’s annual Teach-In follows a similar tradition. It is designed to allow students and faculty to dive deeply into pressing issues related to adolescent development. Our goal is for the MS community to be better prepared to navigate academic and personal growth and well-being.

To help facilitate this, experts in various fields throughout the community participate in the program. They offer workshops on a range of topics including digital citizenship, substance abuse and addiction, mental health, and sexual development. And because GCDS teachers are best in class, many are able to facilitate workshops or programs in disciplines beyond their traditional instructional load.

But our students are best in class, too. And what’s more, they are actively navigating an adolescent context that is altogether different from the one the adults in their lives encountered at the same age. We rely on our students as experts of a culture that in so many ways is unrecognizable to someone of a previous generation. As a result, they are called upon not just to learn during Teach-In week, but to teach. For example, during this year’s program, students from the Honor Board reinforced community expectations and the values of Tiger Pride by leading case studies of common ethical dilemmas faced by kids their age—hypothetical situations that ranged in theme from academic integrity to substance abuse to social media behavior.

In addition to issues related to health, wellness, and relationships, Teach-In also provides Advisory groups time for students to reflect on their learning over the last several months and begin to prepare for Student-Led Conferences. Rounding out the program in this way introduces opportunities for students to develop critical metacognitive skills, and to arrive at new and evolving understandings for how they learn best, and what makes learning meaningful to them.

In sum, Teach-In is a perfect example of how GCDS is redefining the idea of rigor as we prepare students for success in school and in life in a rapidly changing 21st century landscape.

Teach-In [Courses]

Digital Citizenship

J.R. Howe and Ethan Parsons, Middle School Faculty

Belonging & Friendship

Discussion of the 2017 film “Wonder,” Laura Moore, Middle School Counselor

Nutrition

Will Turner, Strength & Conditioning Coach

Healthy Communication & Relationships

The Rowan Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering students to understand the importance of empathy, respect, and boundaries.

Substances & Substance Use Prevention

Freedom from Chemical Use Dependency

Stress & Stress Management

Dr. Jeffrey DeTeso, School Psychologist; Laura Moore, Middle School Counselor

Stress, Anxiety & the Brain

Dr. Jeffrey DeTeso, School Psychologist; Flynn Corson, Division Head

Mental Health

Katherine Noble, MD, Managing Partner of Sound Beach Pediatrics

Desensitization of Harmful Language

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team; Andrew Ledee; Keith Williams; Catherine Georges

Metacognition and Academic Success

Lindsey Wohl, Dean of Teaching & Learning, Student-Led Conference Preparation