Embracing the Hexagon

By Kathryn Bauman-Hill, Early Childhood and Elementary Head

Years ago, I taught a unit on bridgebuilding to fourth graders. This unit affirmed my lifelong love of architecture and shapes, which frequently crept into my classroom. I loved to put shapes into action, and my students built popsicle stick truss bridges, analyzed the use of isosceles triangles and tetrahedrons at the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art, investigated the connection between buttress roots in trees and architectural supports in the National Cathedral, and examined how shapes and patterns appeared in shells or plants in nature. During a recent session at the Green School Conference, this interest was reignited as the power of the hexagon was highlighted through its strength in nature as seen in honeycombs. The hexagon is known to be efficient as it fits perfectly together and uses less space (or wax) than the multiple triangles that create it. This efficiency is why it is often seen in tile patterns, such as in our Metro stations and at the bottom of the back stairwell at Capitol Hill Day School. As a progressive educator who carefully considers strength and efficiency in building, particularly in building a successful curriculum, experiences for children, and a better society, the hexagon got me thinking about how its symbolism reflects the type of teaching and learning we believe in at Capitol Hill Day School. 

Progressive educators value the opportunity to fully embrace a child as a whole person, honoring their academic journey while encouraging and growing their social emotional well-being. Teachers investigate how to balance and nurture a child’s physical needs, emotional regulation, organizational patterns, academic strengths, and areas for growth at different times and places throughout the day. The interconnectedness of a hexagon represents this balance of learning, harmony, and order. Through this process, teachers lean into supporting children in the following six facets of learning at Capitol Hill Day School:
 

1. Academics — In a school setting, this is the most expected part to develop in a child. Over the past few years, early childhood and elementary teachers at Capitol Hill Day School have embarked on a deep analysis of literacy through a more intentional focus on the science of reading, morphology, spelling, handwriting, and deep comprehension. They’ve introduced students to phenomena-based science and encouraged observational and reflective elements of science journaling. Leaning into the process of articulating and explaining math processes and vocabulary has helped students build a deeper conceptual understanding of math, persevere through challenging problems, articulate their learning, and approach a problem in multiple ways. In each of these examples, teachers continually examine what is best for students and provide a space for exploration.
2. Emotional Well-Being — Our Peace and Justice classes allow students to grow their social emotional skills. Students in Early Childhood through fourth grade have weekly touchpoints in identifying their feelings, practicing problem solving and conflict resolution, and exploring playground dynamics such as inclusion and exclusion. Identity and justice work is brought into this intentional space, as well. Through this effort, students develop confidence in using language and practices to identify and regulate their emotions and resolve problems both in and out of the classroom. 
3. Field Education — Through Field Education, students are immersed in experiential opportunities. Rather than simply learning knowledge within the classroom, they put it into context within real environments outside of the school walls. Additionally, they broaden their appreciation of museums, natural city and state parks, and overnight experiences. During these visits, they interact with experts, connecting the dots between school and the outside world, learning to interview and ask questions in a new environment.  
4. Leadership/Mentorship — Through Connection Time, mixed grade Buddies, and our cohort model, students gain multiple opportunities to build leadership skills and be mentored by other students. In regular monthly Buddy Time, older students interact with their younger Buddies and build long lasting relationships over a five year period. Weekly Connection Time allows for three grades to come together and learn in community (PK-1st and 2nd-4th). During these times, students collaboratively celebrate Heritage Months, engage with guest speakers, and share the learning experiences within each classroom. This Leadership/Mentorship model continues as students move through two year cycles by being the youngest and then the oldest in a cohort within mixed age Early Childhood classrooms, first and second grade learning opportunities, and third and fourth grade partnerships. As students move into the Upper Grades, this cohort model continues through fifth and sixth and ends in seventh and eighth grades. 
5. Physical Well-Being and Love of the Outdoor Environment — At a time when children may spend more time on screens, being outside is a priority at Capitol Hill Day School. With a deep commitment to the outdoors and play, students in early childhood and elementary grades engage in physical activities multiple times throughout the day: during morning and lunch recess times and within physical education classes. The payoff from these outdoor moments goes beyond improved motor skills developed by running, climbing, and swinging. Additionally, students learn to take risks through social interactions and playful moments. They also explore hands-on, tactile experiences with science topics through gardening and observations of water runoff, pollinators, and plants. Students build an ecological mindset that includes a love of the environment and a commitment to care for the earth.
6. Cognitive Risk-Taking and Independence Building — As students move through the various grades at Capitol Hill Day School, opportunities to grow in independence increases. Teachers carefully design classrooms and learning experiences with these priorities in mind. They investigate structures and systems that help students grow independent skills and an open mind to new experiences. Executive functioning skills built through planning, organization, and time management help students move from being dependent on others to managing their own learning. Additionally, encouraging flexible thinking throughout the day in both academic moments and social interactions develops openness to new experiences and risk taking both in and out of the classroom.

Putting these six elements together builds a solid and stable foundation for strong students, similar to that of a honeycomb. As children engage in such learning experiences throughout the day, they are enhanced not just in one way, but in many supporting the Dalai Lama’s idea that “It is vital that when educating our children’s brains we do not neglect to educate their hearts.”