Sunday, July 7, 2019 - A Week in the Books...

As we close out Week One of Forman Summer,  we thought that it would be important to reflect on this past week’s experiences to see how far we’ve all come in such a short period of time.  We asked some students to contribute to today’s blog with their thoughts on Forman Summer thus far:

Q: “Since the theme of Week One at Forman Summer is ‘Know Yourself’, what is something you learned about yourself during this past week?”

A:  “This week, I learned that using strategies is helpful. “ - Alex S.

A: “I learned the difference between a fixed mindset vs. growth mindset.”   - Sandes V.

A:  “I learned that when you are around people that are similar to you it can be comforting instead of feeling that I am different than my peers. I feel like I belong.”- Bill S.


Q: Who has been the most influential teacher for you so far?

A: “I really like Ms. Diehl.  She has helped me with study strategies and skills.  I have learned so much this week and I am shocked by how helpful her class has been.  She is changing my life by showing me my true potential.” - Will D.

A: “Ms. Chen has been my favorite teacher.  She surpasses any teacher I’ve ever had because of her ability to teach to my specific learning style.  I respect that she also connects with me as a person and not just a student.” - Bill S.

A: “Mr. Christy he is helpful and doesn’t move to fast, I don’t get left behind in the classroom. “ - Dasha

A: “Mr. Buckley lets you be very creative in expressing ourselves and keeps his class interesting.”  - Shadé

Q: What is your favorite part about the summer program thus far?

    A: “I don’t know. It’s so hard to choose. I enjoy everything I’m doing.”  - Jeanine B.
    A: “My favorite part of the summer program thus far is the writing class because the topics are what I want to write about and it doesn’t feel like a traditional writing class. My work feels more like me.” - Astrid S.

    A: “My favorite activity has been fishing because I have always wanted to fish but didn’t know how.  I may not have caught any fish, but I enjoyed getting outside and exploring the many different fishing spots with my friends.” - Will D.

    A: “My favorite activity has been swimming because Mr. Strawson, Nicole, Kyle and Allie are funny and we were able to relax and play games together.” - Arden

    A: “My favorite activity has been arts and crafts.  I feel relaxed while I’m drawing and not like I have to compete with anyone.  I can just express myself.” - Bill S.


Today we took trips to Target and Walmart for students to retrieve the necessary essentials for the coming week.  We took some time to tidy our dorm rooms, but rewarded any interested students with an ice cream run to Arethusa Farms in Litchfield, CT.  No worries- we made sure that we watched Team USA beat the Netherlands 2-0 to take home the FIFA World Cup Women’s title. All in all, it was a busy week, but we are ready to start Week Two and see how students can learn to “Assist Themselves” at Forman Summer.

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