Belief in Students 

In the beginning of the school year, students create friendship bracelets as a promise to always follow the social contract. 

Together, as a class, after reading the storybook Our Class Is a Family, we create a social contract to guide our classroom expectations. We brainstorm what to include in the contract by discussing the following questions: How should we treat each other? How should we treat Miss Hamlett? How should we care for our classroom and materials? We refer to this contract often throughout the year as a reminder to consistently uphold our shared expectations.”

This note was written by a parent at the end of the school year. I keep it posted next to my desk as a daily reminder of my ‘why.’ It reflects my purpose as an educator—to instill confidence and a love of learning in every student I encounter. 

This is an example of my students feeling excited and proud for receiving their class reward as a result of working together to make positive choices.