It's the Little Things

We have officially been in school for a full week, and I have to tell you that I have fallen in love with my class.  Fifth grade is a big year at Captain, and we work very hard, but it's the little things that keep us smiling.  I want to share with you some of my "little things" from today. 

We celebrated our first birthday today in class.  As you know, birthday celebrations have changed a bit this year at Captain.  We no longer ask students to bring treats in to share with the class, but ask, instead, for them to give back to the community by bringing a "birthday bag" for families in need or by donating a book to the library.  Our birthday bandits, however, thought that it would be better if we could celebrate in another way.  These students, who would like to remain anonymous (and I respect their wishes so they will henceforth be known as the birthday bandits), asked if they could arrive early to school and decorate the lockers of birthday boys and girls in our classroom this year to help them celebrate their special day.  How could I say no to that?

 
This is an example of what we call "level 6" thinking.  When you visit the classroom, you will notice this at the top of my list of levels in large, rainbow colors at the front of the room above the board.  This refers to Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development, which suggests there are stages in which humans grow through to develop moral reasoning.  In our classroom, this applies to how we follow school norms, not just the mere act of following them.  We are striving to grow to that level 6 which is having a personal code of behavior and following it; not because we are avoiding trouble, not because we want a reward, not because we want to please somebody, but because we know it is right and good in our own hearts.  This kind of lofty thinking doesn't happen everyday, even for adults.  It's a treat to see it in our youth, who we know will someday be taking charge in our world.  I love that our birthday bandits struck today and I can't wait until they strike again.  It's the little things.

In writing, we have begun a unit on poetry.  First thing this morning, we discussed metaphor and how poets can use this special tool to compare ideas or feelings or objects in a way that artfully illustrates a message.  We dabbled in writing our own metaphors and poems during independent writing, and many of us seemed to feel a little apprehensive or shy about our writing today.  I know we are just embarking on our writing workshop, so I was not discouraged.  But when I was walking back into the classroom today after dismissal, something caught my eye.  On a desk was a poem: 

And there, in dry erase marker on the desk, is a simple metaphor.  It's the little things. 

So as you go about your Wednesday, I want you to know something about our work in fifth grade this year.  Maybe every second of every day in fifth grade isn't always magical, but we are constantly encountering these little things here and there that are signs of our progress.  It's not the big events, or dramatic moments that I love best about teaching your children.  It's the little things.