FORMAN SUMMER STUDENTS ENERGIZED TO LEARN

Forman School welcomed 41 students from around the US and abroad to attend a four-week summer program designed to develop learning strategies, master skills, and build confidence for students who learn differently.

As the session drew to a close, the students, who range in age from 12-17 expressed pride and a sense of accomplishment about their experience. Talpa Nunez, a rising eleventh grader remarked how Forman’s classes were not like any she had ever taken. “I learned about Executive Functions - something I’d never heard of,” she said. “And I did a PowerPoint presentation on working memory.” Nunez will be attending Forman School as a boarding student in the fall.

Forman School has been exclusively focused on helping bright students who learn differently since it was founded in 1930. It enrolls 200 students each year in grades nine through twelve, and offers a Post Graduate program as well. Most Forman students are highly intelligent and have language-based learning disabilities like dyslexia, attention deficit disorders (ADHD) or a combination of the two.

Forman Summer students took three classes each morning from a selection that was matched to their abilities. In addition to courses on Executive Functions — organizational and goal setting skills — students studied Math Concepts, Reading, Writing, and Metacognitive Strategies. An ACT/SAT prep course was offered for juniors that focused on the individual student’s learning style and the strategies they can use to navigate the college admission process. Forman School has a 100% success rate for college acceptance. “The Summer Program is a great way for prospective students to experience the excellent teaching that Forman offers during the academic year,” said Adam Man, Head of School.

“We believe a key to our students’ success is helping them understand how their brains work and giving them access to skills and technologies that make learning more accessible,” said Betsy Bartlett, Director of Forman Summer.

Eighth grader John Kersh summed it up: “I learned how I learn!”

For many students, the afternoon activities were the highlight of their busy day. Tom Nelson, a ninth grader from Florida was thrilled to pursue his passion for playing soccer, but he has also learned how to make videos and had a chance to dabble in fine art. Jacques Paul-Hus takes Reading, Writing and Metacognitive Strategies in the mornings, then rushes outside to drop a line in the Bantam River. He said, “I love fishing and yesterday — I caught five fish in only 10 minutes!”

All Forman Summer students benefited from small group settings, often just two or three students work directly with a veteran teachers. The majority of the faculty members in the Forman Summer program are full-time faculty members at the School.

Diane Lucarelli is a writing teacher who has been a faculty member at Forman School for 35 years. In addition to teaching writing skills such as summarizing and paraphrasing, she worked on helping students understand their individual strengths and weaknesses so they can advocate for themselves. “The balance of intensive morning classes and broad array of afternoon activities helped the students be really energized about learning,” she said.

Bartlett established a theme for each week. First there was ‘Know Yourself,’ then ‘Assist Yourself,’ which involved learning about available technologies to support learning. Week three was ‘Advocate for Yourself,’ and the final week was ‘Plan for Yourself. “We wanted our students to make the connection between what they learned in the summer program and use it to jump start their learning when they return to school in the fall,” she said.

For more information about Forman School academic year and Summer Programs, visit: www.formanschool.org.