What does a student need to make the most of their week? In Gann’s Gesher2Gann eighth-grade program, there’s a dedicated time each Tuesday to figure that out.
W.I.N. (“What I Need”) is an hour when students can meet with teachers and staff, get extra help, catch up on assignments, or spend time digging deeper into something they’re learning. It’s a regular part of the Gesher2Gann schedule, designed to give students individualized support while helping them take greater ownership of their learning.
Here’s how it works: Each week, students and teachers fill out a short form identifying what might need attention in the days ahead. Students can request time with a particular teacher, ask for help with an assignment, or identify something they’d like to work on. Teachers and administrators weigh in, too, and the Gesher2Gann team uses everyone’s responses to put together a plan for Tuesday.
During a recent W.I.N. session, several students worked with Dr. Jon Star on math, others checked in with Sheila Tiomny-Minis about their Hebrew work, and another group got their binders organized with Sara Riedner Brown and Avraham Wachs-Cashman. Students sorted papers by subject, cleared out old handouts, hole-punched loose pages, and made sure their current assignments were easy to find.
As Avraham pointed out, organization may not be “the most exciting of the soft skills,” but it’s one that plays an important role in students’ success. Developing systems for keeping track of assignments and materials becomes increasingly valuable as students take on more challenging work.
For other students, W.I.N. is a chance to get a head start on assignments. As Gesher2Gann student William explained, “Usually I get homework out of the way so that way I can go home homework-free.”
W.I.N. also provides an opportunity for students to check in with Sara about their experiences in Gesher2Gann and the larger Gann community. They can talk through what’s going well, raise questions or concerns, and get support with academic or social challenges. It’s another way the program makes sure each student’s voice is heard and their individual needs are addressed.
Whether students are working through a difficult concept, getting organized, or navigating a social issue, W.I.N. gives them regular opportunities to recognize where they need support and practice asking for it.
These are habits that will serve them well as they move into high school, with more classes, more assignments, and greater responsibility for managing their own work. For now, they have a dedicated hour each week to practice those skills, with plenty of guidance along the way.
Gesher2Gann was designed in part as a center for educational innovation, with room to try new approaches and learn from students’ experiences. W.I.N. reflects that goal, offering a model for supporting student organization, independence, and learning that could eventually be adapted for the high school.