Chandra Xenides

“A.A. Milne's poem of same title frames well the project I propose for my 3rd grade class at Hurlock Elementary School. Just as the narrator in Milne's poem stops at this point to consider where he/she is, I believe my 3rd graders are ready to STOP and consider their place in their family, school and community. They still see themselves as learners, but they also see themselves as teachers. I believe my students are ready to move forward with what I hope will be a lifetime of learning taking with them a toolkit full of social and emotional skills that they are prepared to use. Next year, I plan to help my students teach their families how to use these skills at home. "Halfway Down" proposes to prepare the students to teach their families, through a series of family engagement sessions, how to incorporate classroom-taught social and emotional learning (SEL) skills into their time together as a family. My plan would be to use these sessions gradually designed and delivered by the students to help them transfer SEL skills they find useful in the classroom to times when they may be needed in the home. Maybe the same simple reminder we value in the classroom "stop and breathe“ delivered respectfully by a 3rd grader at home can make a real difference. I believe my students will demonstrate to colleagues in my school and district how our family engagement sessions can be emotionally and academically rewarding.”