Photos contributed by Elisabeth Crabtree and narrated by Director of Communications Erin Schwartz.
The bridges on our campus are common and beloved talking points of our current students, families, and alumni. Spanning the creek that weaves across our campus, they are a treat to find on your stroll from the lower school to our middle school.
This pair of bridges reminds me everyday of the intentional and organic ways we as a community create educational opportunities that serve as metaphoric bridges for our students that challenge them to take their learning experiences and amplify them to a project-based or real-world application. 5th Grade Science Teacher & MakerSpace Coordinator Christa Flores’ cross-disciplinary “Secret Code Showcase” from last year’s 5th grade class, a problem-based endeavor that entwines science, engineering, or technology with history, is a great example of how this is brought to life in a classroom setting.
Here, our students were inspired to look back, explore a historical reference point, and then reach beyond themselves – in a present-day setting and with present-day tools – to craft a functioning, 21st-century creation.
And at other times, these opportunities to bridge are spontaneous, yet every bit as real and impactful as a carefully-planned project.
Yesterday afternoon, our 4th-8th Grade Music Teacher Elisabeth Crabtree captured a wonderful and profound moment between lower and middle school students that speak to who are students are as learners and as individuals.
She reflects here:
“The 3rd graders were out playing on the 3rd/4th field during 7th/8th lunch, and I got to enjoy watching seventh graders help third graders build a fort, to see them play on the slide together, and have a game of soccer.
It was very sweet to see the unstructured and unplanned ‘big-kid’ role come out in these [students], and how eagerly they played with their little buddies [without teacher-initiated] direction. No one required them to join in, they just did.”
7th and 3rd graders enjoying a soccer game together.
This group contemplates their leaf fort.
Exploring together is always lots of fun.
As Head of Lower School Colleen Schilly touched upon in her recent blog post, Play or Learning? It’s Not Either/Or, these students are engaged in the important work of social-emotional learning as they collaborate and practice cooperation, whether they are planning maneuvers across the field or how to design their fort. Our 7th graders are reaching out, expressing a sense of responsibility for their younger companions, and enjoy playing with them as much as our third graders are receptive to the lessons the older students have to impart. In this moment, each of our students exemplify the thoughtful global citizen we are inspiring each of them to be – now and in years to come – as they seamlessly bridge grade levels to spend time together here at Hillbrook.
Of course, what our students will recall about this experience is a carefree afternoon of fun, exploration, and friendship. Each moment like these that they encounter during their time here at Hillbrook will also remain with them, though, and will continue to resonate ever stronger as they thrive and grow into mature, caring, and forward-thinking young men and women.
In the end, this unplanned moment of play brings to mind the qualities of our learners: We are kind. We are curious. We ask questions. We work together, and in working – or playing or building – together, we make things better.