Navigating Friday Enrichment Days
By: Dan Richard, Perimeter School DAD AND SCHOOL MINISTRY TEAM MEMBER
My wife, Laura, and I have three children, each spaced two years apart. While we still have many years of Perimeter School serving in our future, we’ve just completed our sixth and final consecutive year of leading and assisting in Friday Enrichment Days (or E-Days as many of us call them) at Perimeter School. For those unfamiliar with this Perimeter School tradition, E-Days are when parents of first and second graders take turns each Friday to teach their child’s class on various topics like science, literature, art, and history. Each parent takes on about four teaching assignments annually, each necessitating a well-prepared lesson plan. Over six years, that's two parents, three children, two grade levels, and four E-Days, culminating in a total of forty eight E-Days lead or assisted! With all of these behind us, we are basking in the satisfying completion of a treasured chapter of our kids’ lives.
An Intimidating Horde of Six Year Olds
I wasn’t always so enthusiastic about E-Days. When our eldest child, Ethan (now 12 and in seventh grade), was entering first grade, the prospect of preparing a lesson and teaching a class of six year olds was as daunting as bungee jumping. Despite the support from our kids’ teachers and Tara Rose, I was a bundle of nerves as my first E-Day approached. I hardly slept the night before, and during the lesson, I felt like a cat in a dog parade - completely out of place. I drove home exhausted and ended up sleeping for the rest of the day. But, as with most things, practice makes perfect. After that first E-Day, each subsequent one became easier. Over time, experience brought confidence, peace of mind, and a bit of wisdom.
Leveraging Your Strengths
At the beginning of each school year, first and second grade parents gather to select E-Days in the well-known snake draft format. Like fantasy football, you’re not guaranteed all your top picks. However, by reviewing the year’s topic list in advance and preparing a preference list, you increase your chances of securing one or two topics you’re passionate or knowledgeable about. Teaching subjects you love makes the lesson more engaging for the kids. Save your lesson plans and try to choose the same topics for your younger children. This way, you’ll reduce prep time and improve your delivery with each repetition.
Phone a Friend
A secret weapon in my E-Day arsenal was my children’s grandfather, a former Navy pilot who now flies drones and kept bees with me in my backyard. He was a natural guest speaker for Veteran’s Day, Discover Science, or nature-themed days. My kids enjoyed the added bonus of having both Dad and Grampa leading the class. Aside from the E-Day resource room, reach out to parents of Perimeter School graduates or older students on the Covenant Families Facebook page to borrow costumes and props they might have accumulated during their E-Day years. (For example, I have a Ben Franklin costume and a few beekeeper suits if you’re interested.)
Play the Long Game
The broader impact of E-Days goes beyond individual lessons. All Perimeter School Enrichment Days represent work that bears fruit. As you lead your lessons, know you are strengthening connections with your kids, their classmates, and other Perimeter School parents, and this will pay dividends in future years. When parents teach and kids learn as a covenant community grounded in Christ, parents gain wisdom to help their kids for years to come as they build and navigate relationships with the very classmates they taught during E-Days.