Every Day, English Opens a New Chapter

I am going to let the words of my students speak today. We are working together on writing a class mission statement. I've written about the process here and here. One class is still in the revision process. They are at the point where they have completed individual or small group statements and they are on their way to revising for one statement. Here are some of their ideas...

Many of these posters have been revised already. The next step is sharing and revising. In my other class, we revised as a class. (Have you ever tried that? Revising with an entire classroom full of sixth graders. It isn't easy, but it was lots of fun.) Each group shared their mission statement. We applauded and then we picked out the best words, phrases, and ideas to include in one class mission statement.  As we finished for the day, I reminded them that the loud and messy process we just completed is called revision. I said, "It's hard and messy, sometimes loud and fun, but it's always worth it." One of my students asked, "Is it like teaching?" Yes. We completed our mission statement. It's done. Before you remind me that it's too long, I know. I don't care. We know how short mission statements should be, but we are revising that for our purposes. The students want to stand and say our mission at the beginning of each class. I can't wait to start today. Here's the final version. These words are written by them. This is THEM...

Every day, English opens a new chapter. I will pick up my books and pens and take down the monster that is known as doubt.  In English, there is no limit to what you can write or what you can read. I will explore new ideas in my daily writing with creativity. I will listen and be involved for the better of the class.

This room is where we are on the same team, so we will forgive and understand because everyone has a story. We express ourselves with confidence Staying focused and showing kindness to others will be the key to success for this year. This is the room where you can be yourself.

Be kind to everyone, everywhere, every day.

We’re savage--no one can change that. In the end, there is one thing you need to take away from this class, and that is…… YOU CAN DO IT!

Thank you to the Two Writing Teachers for this amazing platform to write and share writing! What a wonderful community you've created! I'm honored to be part of it. Join us at Two Writing Teachers.

Why I Teach!

This is why I teach. 

In my last post, I wrote about a new mission statement that my principal wrote for our school. This comment on my post gave me a great idea...

I decided to try this out with my students and we began our journey to create a class mission statement. Yesterday, we read and analyzed some mission statements. When we felt like we understood what a mission statement is, we started brainstorming words and ideas to include in a class mission statement. Today, we visited youtube and listened to Montague's Workshop and Kid President for some inspiration. 

We continued to plan and we started to draft. Students were working hard and the room was abuzz with excitement. We aren't finished, but I couldn't wait to share these amazing mission statement drafts. Why do I teach? THIS is why I teach...

Somehow we will revise and revise and revise to create one unified mission statement. Stay tuned...

Who Are You?

Monday morning started out as any other in school. We turned on the morning announcements to begin our day. Our principal ends each day with sharing part of our school's mission statement. He does this every day. It becomes part of the fabric of our community since we hear it daily. Here's the full mission statement:

On this particular morning, there was a change. Mr. Phillips paused and changed the mission statement. I noticed the seventh and eighth-grade students in my class, look up and pay attention to this change. Here is what he said, "We offer every student and staff member here, each day, an unlimited welcome. No matter who you are, what your background, religious beliefs, ethnicity, or how you look, speak, or dress – that welcome is unlimited and unchanging. Today, treat each person with dignity, so that dignity can grow into understanding. For, in the end, there is only one true school rule – treat others with the respect and kindness that you would expect to be treated. Be committed to THAT today, and have a great day." This found me flabberghasted, sitting in front of my students with tears in my eyes. I shared it on social media and I've seen it shared so many times. We need this now! These ideas. These words and we need to declare them to the world! I decided to write my own personal mission statement. (I'd like to write one for me as a teacher and as a writer too, but I decided to start to write something for me as a person.) I didn't know where to begin, so I searched online and I found that there are lots of sites to help. 

I'm still on an early draft. Once I got the idea of what goes into a mission statement, I turned to my book for help. I'm reading Blessed are the Weird by Jacob Nordby. He is the writer that created the Beatitudes of the Weird...

This book is filled with the most beautiful ideas. I am savoring every last syllable. And the words he uses...I can not stop annotating!

I used these words. I created a list...

...and from that list, I began to craft my mission statement. Here are my early drafts...

I'm enjoying much of draft #1, but I still need to revise. I'll return with my finished, polished statement. What will your mission statement declare? Who will you be to the world?