From the June 2, 2006 Issue of The Cape Codder

Early Childhood Development Seminar

Sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders at Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School in Orleans are working with preschoolers at the Salt Box/Family School in Brewster through the charter school's program. Twice a week, the middle schoolers visit two classrooms and read books with the 4- and 5-year-olds. In this Early Childhood Development Seminar, the middle school students have learned about the developmental stages of 4- and 5-year-olds: how they engage in play, how they learn, and how they interact with others. Lighthouse Charter students have also planned their own activities for the preschoolers, such as teaching songs, making bird feeders and creating outdoor games to play.

"It's a nice change of pace for the kids," says Kim Lockwood, lead teacher at the Salt Box School. "And it's nice that they can have someone to model their behavior after. They are getting that one-on-one time and building a great relationship."

The middle school students also get a great deal from their visits. "It's the one place where you don't get judged," says seventh-grader Kate Probolus. "The kids are up to anything," Cassidy Bissell states. "And they want to learn everything. I've also learned how to deal with the ups and downs of a 5-year-old!" Irene Lynch adds, "The kids have a wild imagination."

Amy Woods, a teacher at Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School, is responsible for this partnership. "It's wonderful to be able to take our students out of the regular classroom setting and let them learn in a different environment. It reminds me how important our seminar program is to our school. They have gained so much from this seminar and I'm looking forward to doing this again next year."

Eighth-grader Megan Ritchie sums up the feeling of the whole Lighthouse Charter group. "When it's time to go, I never want to leave," she says.