New Sixth Grade 'Student' Learns Valuable Lesson

When Gene Russell arrived for his first day of sixth grade at Sidney's West Elementary, he, like others before him, didn't quite know what to expect. But after a couple of hours, Russell's new classmates began to accept him and as the day wore on, drew him more and more into their fold.

But young Russell is very different from others who come in to join the other West sixth graders. Even before he joined the class, he was familiar with its members, but from a very different perspective.

It's that change of perspective that Russell wanted. Prior to Tuesday, and for the remainder of the year, Russell was, and will remain, Mr. Russell, the school's principal.

As Principal Russell, he is a normal fixture in West Elementary classrooms, evaluating teachers, taking a look at classroom behavior, and learning about his students. But Russell wanted to expand his understanding of sixth graders and what they go through each day, so he decided to become one of them.

The idea was born out of an article that Sidney School Superintendent Jay Ehler shared with school district leaders about a 30-year teacher who, toward then end of her career, similarly became a student.

"She said she wished she had done it during her first year instead of her last," Russell said. But the seed was sown in the Sidney principal, who asked Ehler if he could do the same thing. Ehler said to run with the idea, which came to life this week.

In preparing for his student entry, Russell decided it would be best to come as a somewhat reserved student, in part so he didn't overpower his students, but also to give himself a chance to quietly observe without participating a lot.

That, he said, was his first learning experience.

"It's impossible to go through class without participating," Russell said. With the way his teachers run their classes, the new shy student "couldn't not participate."

He said one example is a teacher who has card taped to desks. When a question is asked, the teacher doesn't ask for someone to answer, but instead draws from her deck and whoever has the corresponding card is called on.

But the opportunity for participation doesn't stop there. Students not only answer questions, but then are encouraged to discuss not only the answer, but also delve into the why's and how-to's of the subject.

Russell said the practice comes from a number of reasons, not the least of which is helping all students participate. He it also creates "thinking students," ones who don't just memorize facts and dates, but also look at the dates and facts from other perspectives.

"We're preparing students for today's world," Russell said. "When they get jobs they're going to be involved in the process and will have to float ideas around. We're creating a learning connection - a melting pot of ways to find solutions."

One might think that having the principal around all day would cramp the style of teachers and students alike. But Russell said after about the first hour, the tension with the students disappeared.

"Part of it is because they're so busy, so involved, they didn't think about it any more," he said. "After that first hour I was just another student."

But Russell's lessons went far beyond those from the teachers. He also got other answers he was searching for about students' days.

For instance, "I was surprised how hungry I was," during different parts of the day, he said. Even after eating a big breakfast of French toast, bacon and eggs in anticipation of a busy day, he found himself famished by lunch time. And again at the end of the day. He asked students if they were the same way, and found they were. So now he's planning to explore options for snacks, "because they may need something more to keep fueling themselves," so they don't become mentally drained as a result of the physical need.

He said alternative seating - using a cushion or sitting in a different way rather than in-desk only - seemed to help students as they go about tasks.

"You and I don't sit in one spot all day long, and they can't either," Russell said. "The movement helps them just like it does us."

Russell's excitement for the experience is evident as he reviews his day. Much of which he hopes to use to improve the student experience.

But the biggest takeaway?

"It was the evidence of the amount of caring adults that are in all parts of the building," he said. "From when you walk in the door the encouragement we got was great. You can tell how much they all, from the janitors to the paras to the teachers, care about the kids."

And for his experiment, he feels it was a success.

That's not to say early on it wasn't a little weird, and at first, inhibiting.

"It was fun, but we didn't act like we normally would at first, because the principal was in the room" said sixth grader Avery Lawson.

Her classmate, McGuire Rolls, clarified as she shook her head in agreement. "We probably acted the same, but we were just not as loud."

The pair agreed that having Mr. Russell as a "classmate" grew on class members as time went on, and "he became more like a part of the class rather than the principal," Rolls said.

While they knew in advance that Russell would be with them, they didn't know what to expect.

"When he came he was dressed like us," Lawson said. "I really didn't expect that."

But Russell's acceptance as a classmate was apparently complete.

Usually new classmates mix in and Russell did too. "It was nice having someone different in the class for the day," Lawson said, adding like other new classmates she expected to visit with him again.

"I was even looking for him today," she said Wednesday.