My students grew an enormous amount over the course of the year, both academically and socially. Students worked hard to learn new concepts that would become the foundation for their futures. It was essential that they understand why school was important, and how fun learning could be.

Academically they grew in all areas. Reading was perhaps the most obvious, because all students made gains. Students who did not know their letter sounds when they arrived were reading level G and H books by May, excited to learn about new animals or magic kingdoms. It was wonderful to not only teach them how to read, but why we read. I always picked texts I thought my kids would like, because I wanted them to get excited about books. We researched sea otters and whales, learned about new foods, and read plays. Creating a literacy-rich environment so students could become lifelong readers was important to me, especially when many of them did not come from environments with books at home.

Socially, students learned to work together as a community. They showed compassion when we received new students, or when others moved away. They asserted themselves when they felt frustrated or bothered by a peer. An important skill we addressed was sharing, as students often had to share our classroom materials. While this was hard at first, time passed, and as we built our community, the students grew.