New School Year

     Tomorrow is the big day!  Its a new school year...another crop of 5th graders (not quite sure what to think, say or do)will enter the halls of VMS.  As a mom, I am sending my oldest away from my building to the Jr. High (sniff) but my baby is coming to 5th grade at VMS (yay!).  We are all excited about the new adventures that await us.  I am praying for guidance as I begin my 17th year as an educator.  I also pray to see these children through the eyes of Jesus and love them as He would.  

      I saw this quote (yes, on Pinterest) and thought it was a PERFECT way to describe my classroom philosophy..."In this room, we don't do easy. We make easy happen through hard work and learning!"  For those of you who don't know me very well, let me just explain how I run a classroom.  
1.   I LOVE THESE KIDS!!!  All of them!  I call them my kids because from the moment they are placed on my roster until the day I am no longer on this earth, they are MINE!  I always tell the students that I have two kids that live at my house.  The two that live at my house are held to high expectations.  I hold my school kids to high expectations, as well.  Why?  Because I love them!  I want what is best for them and I won't allow them to "cop out" and give me less than their absolute best.  This includes behavior, as well as academics.
2.  I am very particular about how I want things done...I call it "persnickity".  I teach procedures and we practice those procedures and I expect my kids to follow those procedures.  The kids respect it (even if they don't like it) because they KNOW undoubtedly what to do in my classroom.
3.  I will support them and encourage them as we journey through 5th grade literacy together.  This is not going to be easy.  A lot of what I ask them to do will be NEW.  It requires a lot of thought.  We read.  Then we talk about what we read.  After that,  we write about what we read and discussed.  Of course, we will then begin the process all over again.  One of the promises I make to the kids at the beginning of school is this:  No matter whether you like reading or not...no matter whether you are good at it or not...no matter where you begin in this class, I PROMISE that you will leave it knowing SO MUCH more about literacy than when you came in.  Get ready to work hard, think harder and get smarter!!

     Parents, don't worry about your children at VMS.  I promise that we love them, protect them and educate them.  The students are our primary concern.  Fifth grade will be one of their favorite years of school! 

Here is my notice to all students and a few pictures of my classroom before that first day begins.  Let the FABULOUS year begin!