Welcome to 6th Grade Language Arts! 

My name is Mr. Russell, and this is my 12th year teaching 6th grade ELA. My family and I moved to Colorado from Oklahoma this past July. Tara, my wife, and I have been married for 16 years. Erin, our 22-year-old daughter, still lives in Oklahoma with her boyfriend, Addison. Our middle child, Isabella, is a sophomore at Mountain Vista High School, and Alexander, our son, is a 6th grade student right here at Northridge Elementary! We also have a rascally rescue dog, JuneBug, who enjoys barking at neighbors, chasing squirrels along the back fence, and occasionally, when the opportunity presents itself, dashing out the front door for an exciting game of "catch me if you can."

I am in my 4th year of implementing Conscious Discipline, a social-emotional learning program, in my classroom. Class always begins with a Brain Smart Start routine so that students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn. Our classroom community encourages collaboration and resolving issues through firm, yet respectful, personal boundaries. When mistakes or conflicts do happen in our classroom community, we choose to view them as growth and learning opportunities.

Outside of school, I have developed a new appreciation for gardening in the (comparatively) mild Colorado summer weather. I enjoy walking, trying new restaurants, attending live music and sporting events, reading, following OKC Thunder basketball (sorry), playing video games, and drinking coffee on the back deck in the morning.

I look forward to an extraordinary school year and building positive relationships with our students this year!

Favorite Middle-Grade Books and Authors