Next Step: High School
Grade 7 is a special time in a student's life. Apart from taking on increased academic expectations, senior students at St. Augustine School are given many opportunities to develop their leadership skills, self-confidence and sense of responsibility. Grade 7 teacher Donna O'Hara brings 31 years of commitment and experience to her job and says that her training actually began long before university. Her mother taught Grade 7 in the Catholic school system and Ms. O'Hara remembers spending many hours in her mother's class helping out and learning what it takes to work with and support students through one of the toughest transitions of their early school life.
Her commitment to teaching is evident in her philosophy, which blends a strong child-centered approach to learning with keen insight and understanding of the emotional, social and spiritual needs of the pre-teen and early-teen demographic.
"Grade 7s are filled with skills and ability, and they have a real desire to be independent and take control of their own learning," says Ms. O'Hara, who also has a Master's Degree in Arts from the School of Theology at Seattle University. "I try to facilitate their growth and development by allowing them to be independent, make choices, and take on new challenges so that they are confident and ready for the challenges that they will face when they step into the bigger world of high school."
Ms. O'Hara learned about, "going beyond" from her mother. She recalls many times when her mother's students would show up at her house to visit or for extra help. "My mom was a huge inspiration. She always treated her students as capable young men and women and put the bar high for them. When you raise the bar and expect the best from our youth, it is amazing how high they can reach and what they can do."
Students take part in a cooking unit during which time they plan, budget, shop and cook a meal for the entire class. They travel to Victoria to learn about the provincial government and the important role of the citizen. They take on leadership roles within cabins during the outdoor education camp attended by Grades 4 through 7 in the spring. They are trained as mediators and work with younger students at recess time to help facilitate issues and are present at the drop-off and pick-up areas to watch for student safety around cars. Each year the Grade 7 students help with the Seniors Outreach luncheon by serving and entertaining. As well, they represent the school community by attending funerals of parishioners.
"They are always reminded of social responsibilities of people in the community and their lives," says Ms. O'Hara, adding that these jobs help them to understand the concept of "the greater good" and teach them the importance of discovering their own gifts and talents. It is also important that the students learn to make independent choices and be responsible for their decisions.
"I love learning and discovering new things, and I love working with young teens," says Ms. O'Hara. "I can't think of anything better than to be able to help empower my students to discover and use their own God-given gifts and talents in ways they didn't think they could."
There is a strong focus on the academics. "The curriculum and co-curricular activities are there to help facilitate the development of the whole child," she says. "The more diverse the projects and activities, and the more the students are involved in, the better.
"When students contribute with their time and talents and gain a sense that they are important in the school community and trusted by the teachers and younger students, they also begin to work harder and put more effort into dealing with their own learning and academic responsibilities."
Grade 7 is also a huge year for the students' spiritual growth. Ms. O'Hara is deeply committed to her faith and, as one student once said, "Our teacher can tie religion and God into every lesson -- even Math!" Preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation plays an important part in the year. "One of my greatest responsibilities as a teacher in the Catholic school system is to help my students develop a deep and personal relationship with God and to understand the enormous, unconditional love that God has for each and every one of us."
Ms. O'Hara believes that developing this intrinsic sense of being a child of God and a witness to our faith helps to foster positive values and attitudes in students, including respectful behaviour, confidence in life and a sense of self-worth in the classroom, school community and the rest of their world.
It isn't easy blending all of these elements --- leadership, life skills and community --- into a Grade 7 curriculum that requires learning about a range of topics, from Ancient Civilizations to preparing for high school entrance exams. It requires a lot of additional time and attention from both the students and teacher. "Whatever it takes for a student to learn, is what we do," says Ms. O'Hara.
June is coming fast and the Grade 7 students are beginning to look forward to the new challenge of high school. Even so, their ties to St. Augustine will continue to stay strong. To facilitate a continuous relationship with the school and to check on the transition of the students, Ms. O'Hara and school principal Catherine Oberndorf invite all the Grade 7 students back in the fall of Grade 8 to share their summer stories and early experience of high school. The students are also invited back in Grade 11 to help as counselors at spring camp and to volunteer at the school's annual Pass the Torch Fundraiser.
And what better way for students to put their best foot forward in high school than to know that they are firmly grounded and supported from their elementary school community.