The eighth grade students, Ms. Slayton, Mrs. Lane, and many teachers look forward to Mondays! Andover’s Percy Hill has been leading team building activities to strengthen middle school relationships, build communication skills, and help students recognize each other’s strengths. Strong bonds are built as students work together to solve problems while building relationships and creating trust. Lessons learned during team building activities are always connected back to real-life situations.
Percy has a long history with Andover Elementary Middle School and all agree it is nice to have him return on a regular basis. Percy has recently worked in several schools as a consultant and the results are always positive. Andover students have reported looking forward to Mondays with Mr. Hill which is pretty high praise coming from eighth graders.
Mrs. Lane and Ms. Slayton participate regularly and depending on the schedule, different teachers also have the opportunity to participate. The time of day for team building varies so as to not always impact the same class and to allow different staff members to participate. All agree that Monday is the ideal day as it starts the week off on a positive note.
The middle school years represent a time of many transitions; physically, cognitively, and emotionally. The word “awkward” is often used for this stage between being a child and being an adult. Team building helps students grow at their own pace within a supportive community of peers. In addition, growing up in a K through 8 school community provides the space to learn, practice, and build confidence before experiencing high school.
Students have practiced kindness and Mrs. Lane encourages them to initiate as many acts of kindness as they can. Much of what happens on Mondays complements Mrs. Lane’s work with the students later in the week. Mrs. Lane facilitates discussions and activities based on Sean Covey’s “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.”
Our students have learned about the importance of communication and how not to get caught up in rumors and misinformation and how to look at a situation from another persons’ perspective. They have seen how negativity can impact and influence the way they experience their day. Our students have learned that they must collaborate and communicate effectively to be successful.
Reflection is an important component to team building. Students share how much they have learned and how far they have grown. Percy expertly guides students through the reflection process relating concepts to everyday adolescent struggles. Team building activities often take students beyond their comfort zone while developing confidence and collaboration.
The team building activities may seem simple at times but the lessons the students take from them are immense. Students (and staff members) will benefit from their Mondays with Percy for a long time to come.