Lower School Embraces LW3 Goals

During Gathering last Friday, Grades 3 through 6 embraced Holton's Learn Well, Live Well, Lead Well (LW3) philosophy through a creative and fun exercise.

LW3 allows Holton to stretch the work we do with students beyond traditional academics and builds essential competencies needed for future leaders.

In Lower School, we use kid-friendly language to speak about the LW3 goals. The nine goals we use are:

• I am curious
• I am creative
• I keep trying
• I am proud to be me
• I show kindness and empathy
• I value diversity
• I engage with my community and the world
• I collaborate with others
• I pursue my passions

During Gathering, the framework of LW3 was introduced by Lower School Director Christy Diefenderfer. Students and teachers then received a slip of paper with one of the nine goals. Then the freeze game fun began – they mixed and mingled, often with great joy and laughter, until Ms. D rang the bell to freeze everyone in the room. Then, students introduced themselves to one another, allowing participants to better get to know others outside of their class. They then answered questions such as:

• What does this goal mean to you?
• Why do you think this goal is important?
• What might you see someone who is demonstrating this LW3 goal do?

Answers were fun and creative, letting students really think deeply about how these goals impact their daily learning at Holton. Once time was up, and teachers then swapped slips with one another, and then fun began again until the bell rang for a different question. What a great way to kick off the year and build a culture of thinking in our Lower School!

See more photos of this Gathering activity on Vidigami.