Alumna Advice: Navigating Middle School English with Ava Van Dusen ’19

Ava Van Dusen, who graduated from Caedmon in 2019, is now finishing up her 11th grade year at Dalton. A student who has maintained a strong connection with her elementary school, she has been working this year in Caedmon’s after school program on Thursdays, Fridays, and occasional Mondays. Recently, Ava also held two Zoom sessions with the Caedmon Class of 2025 on the topic of English class in the older grades–what it’s like and how to manage its workload (and the workload of all middle and high school classes in general). The idea for this presentation came to Ava during her spring break, when reflecting on her upcoming transition from high school to college prompted her to think about her previous school transition–the one from Caedmon to Dalton–and the surprise she experienced when confronting the academic expectations of 6th grade English. 

Ava is well qualified to discuss English-related matters. A talented writer, she recalls that she started writing poetry in earnest in 2nd or 3rd grade, and over the years she has won several contests for her literary efforts, which include essays in addition to poetry. (Having done a unit on poetry in her English class in her sophomore year, she cites Audre Lord and Richard Siken, as well as the poetry of her late uncle Daniel Whittaker-Van Dusen, as influences on her own work.)

In the first of her presentations, titled “Writing and English beyond Caedmon,” Ava offered a wealth of advice for incoming middle school students, and many of her pointers were responses to the questions she fielded from fifth graders. Here is a summary of the tips she gave:

1. Do some regular writing over the summer to improve as a writer before starting sixth grade.
2. Meet with your teachers outside of class; become familiar with their (or your new school’s) policy on extensions.
3. Manage your time, tackling assignments early and spreading things out.
4. Use planners and reminder apps on your phone to promote organization.
5. In English class, make annotations, i.e., notes in your books.
6. Outline papers before writing–this will make the writing easier and better!
7. Treat yourself to a break after finishing something. More generally, make sure to carve out time for yourself to avoid academic burnout.

Thank you, Ava, for your insights into student life beyond Caedmon—the Class of 2025 appreciated the knowledge you shared!