Sixth Grade

Presbyterian School sixth grade focuses on helping each student assemble the “toolkit” necessary to become a successful learner for the years ahead. As John Dewey promotes in the quote above, students do not arrive at school ready-made. Rather, students engage in the learning process to gain understanding through exploration, learning from mistakes more than easily succeeding. Unique to our community, our sixth grade courses facilitate executive function and logical thought, promoting a growth mindset for learning strategies while mixing in concepts from our Think.Make.Talk. paradigm. The sixth-grade program introduces each student to four main threads of neural development:

• Making Observations and Drawing Conclusions
• Planning and Organization
• Collaboration
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Children thrive in our program because we provide a safe place to expand knowledge while taking risks on concepts that stretch perspective and processes. We share with each child an expectation for perseverance through the midst of challenging curricular goals rooted in observation and reflection.

About our Advisory Program

We prioritize intentional community building through a custom-built advisory system, assemblies, and school trips. In advisory, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who is their go-to adult in the building for both navigating triumphs and addressing challenges throughout the school year. This nurturing environment extends beyond individual advisories, as students and faculty come together bi-weekly for assemblies to reflect on core values, celebrate growth, and showcase talents. The advisory experience is enriched with lessons from our school counselor, focusing on navigating the complexities of the school year. Activities like community circles, festive door decorating competitions, and reflective exercises around conference times foster a deeper sense of community and personal development. Through these initiatives, we create a cohesive, supportive atmosphere where our goal is for every student to feel valued and connected.