The minute the big yellow bus pulled into campus on the crisp morning of June22nd, I was immediately drawn to the bright-eyed, glowing faces of this
year's Bridge students. I knew I was in the right place. Since then, they
have not let me down. The first week of Bridge at Woodside Priory School has
been a whirlwind, but in the best sense possible. The staff has been making
detailed plans and getting revved up for weeks now. Finally, we can put all
this preparation to good use.
The energy felt between teachers, TAs and students is quite powerful. T.A.
Matt H. remarks on how "the kids have nice energy both inside and outside
the class." English teacher Kindra B. echoes this observation. She
describes the kids as having "vibrant energy." From shaving balloons
during a goofy break activity to learning the Order of Operations in Algebra
I, the students are relentless with their dedication and enthusiasm. T.A.
Servando B. describes them as "joyful." I have yet to hear anyone on staff
say otherwise. It is clear that students want to be here, and share our
excitement about the next month. When asked about his favorite part of the
Bridge Program, student Bayley K. exclaims, "I like everything!" This
enthusiasm makes our job a blast!
This isn't to say that the students are never challenged by the demands of
the work, and the expectations we have of them in this new environment. While
they are all very bright, it was clear after taking exams in math and language
arts on the first day that they are here to learn and improve as students.
The students have remained open to this growth, and are generally receptive to
the feedback we give them as a staff. Our purpose isn't to simply to lecture
students, but to make learning fun and inspire them with opportunities for
growth. Molly D., another Priory TA, describes this role in a nutshell:
In the process of "getting them pumped about learning, we try to be
enthusiastic about what we are teaching." It doesn't matter how boring the
subject is or how ridiculous we look doing an activity, when we're excited,
so are the students.
This has also enabled us to easily cultivate bonds with students. Student
Akanesi M, despite her shy nature, reveals that students are easily able to
form bonds with T.A.'s. She goes on to say that "they are very
trusting." This is just the affirmation we want to hear, especially during
the first week. As Director Mr. LaValle has said on multiple occasions,
"when students feel safe, they can learn." It is nice to know that Bridge
students already feel comfortable and safe here at the Priory.