Twenty second graders, all students in Adrian MacDonald’s classroom at Clintonville School, took on a brand new task recently when they were asked to consider what encouraging advice they could offer to first grade students coming up behind them. The class rose enthusiastically to the challenge and hands went up immediately.

Asked to look back at their own first grade experience, did they remember some scary moments? There were smiles all around the room at that memory as boys and girls nodded in agreement. Many recalled that getting used to being in a classroom, studying harder subjects and moving up and on to the next grade, all in all, had been a very good experience.

Sophia Annunziato, firmly and without hesitation, offered words of assurance. “Clintonville is a very good school with very nice teachers,” she said.

Next, Makayla Mansur, told the class that she entered Clintonville School from a class in New Haven, adding, “I found a very good place here.”

Like many of the other second graders, Makayla advised first graders that they will get on well if they always “listen to the teachers and use the ‘strategies’ they are being taught.”

Payton Hebert agreed. “I know they’re learning a lot. I learned very much in the first grade,” he said.

Sophia Mallico informed her classmates that Clintonville School is the third one she has attended. “We just moved here and, so far, Clintonville is a really good school. I’m sure first grade kids will have a good time and learn a lot.”

Hands waved as students were inspired to add to what they’d already said. Payton stood up again a second time with a suggestion, “Just have fun with the words. If you can’t read a long word, spell out each letter and put them together and you can probably recognize it.”

Joseph Wenzel, who told the class that he’s been at Clintonville School for three years also, added, “I have a lot of friends. It’s the best school,” and Carissa Mendoza chimed in, “It’s a wonderful school. First graders will have fun,” she said. Nadia Liuzzi sent good wishes: “Good luck to all the first graders. Have a great year and a lot of fun. All our teachers at Clintonville are very fun.”

Hannah Clark, a student who’d been transferred to Clintonville, recalled how sad it had been to be separated from some of her friends at another school. Despite missing them, though, she said that she really liked Clintonville School. She had behavioral advice: “Always listen, keep your hands to yourself, and be nice to all.”

Seamus Doheny, who also had just come to Clintonville this year, counted himself among those who “really liked all the teachers.”

Everyone was anxious to offer something that would help and to recall their own early experience.

Dale DeCrescenzo was confident that both first and second grade students would learn a great deal at Clintonville School and benefit from the attention paid to their teachers. Abby Kirtland spoke again, adding advice to both first and second graders. She suggested that a difficult arithmetic problem can be skipped over, advising that “going back afterward sometimes helps.”

With nearly everyone in the class having offered a word of advice, the class was assured that their helpful words would soon be available to first graders in print.