FRIENDSHIP U O STARTS WITH Y Navigating evolving social dynamics with empathy and confidence in Middle School
From Grades 6-8, social-emotional development takes centre stage and Pickering College’s Middle School programming is geared to help students navigate these evolving social dynamics with empathy and confidence. “The first place students start to build friendships is through homeroom programming, particularly in the first week of school,” says Julie Clement, Director of Middle School. “That first week isn’t really focused on academics but instead focused on skill building, team building and getting to know each other through a series of different activities that focuses more on the group and the community of their classroom.” Middle School students participate in different activities allowing them to share who they are, what’s going on in their lives and what interests them. Earlier this year, they were led through a workshop by faculty member Danielle Moore where they were tasked with writing five things about themselves directly relating to their identity, their role in the community, and words that inspire them. The most challenging part proved to be including a word they thought their friends would use to describe them. Clement says this made her realize that perhaps a greater effort ought to be made to encourage students to share with classmates what they
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appreciate in them. This is now a goal she has set for herself and her students. “I want to shift that into the Middle Schoolers themselves—how do we highlight what we appreciate in each other, so that they can feel a little bit more confident in who they are and can build those stronger connections and friendships,” says Clement. Group work is one of the aspects of the Middle School program that helps to encourage students to manage changing interests and friendships. Many of the assignments related to the Global Leadership Program involve working with students outside of their close friend group, providing an opportunity to discover what they have in common with classmates as they collaborate and share ideas. In addition, all classes participated in an off-campus excursion in the fall, to further cement these bonds through challenge-based team-building activities. “These experiences are important in developing friendships and students’ ability to connect with each other on different levels other than academics,” Clement explains. “I think from the perspective of the school, we’re always looking for those opportunities of ‘how do we connect one student with many students in the community?’ For Middle
