Fifth Grade

     Fifth grade is a delightful age with children on the brink of adolescence and exploring who they are and who they want to be.  Communication takes on increased importance as they navigate friendships and the changing dynamics of the parent-child relationship.  In recognition of these changes I will be spending time during guidance class every other week exploring that notion of who we are based on the choices we make and helping them to appreciate the wide diversity of personalities, interests, and ideas that their peers represent.   Increasing our skills to communicate effectively and respectfully with others will be a part of our agenda as will an appreciation of the diverse cultural backgrounds we come from.

     Even when we have spent years together in school there can be parts of ourselves that go unappreciated or unexpressed.  Sometimes our rich cultural and family backgrounds are part of  this.  Over the next few weeks we will be exploring our own and others' stories so that we can come to understand and appreciate each other more.  It will make it easier to communicate respectfully if we understand others' perspectives and previous experiences.  Only when that happens are we open to differing points of view that collide with our own.  Empathy follows understanding and builds more caring relationships.

     As in previous years we are committed school-wide to the Responsive Classroom philosophy of promoting C.A.R.E.S. standing for Cooperation, Assertiveness, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Control.  You will hear these words often.  Our first six assemblies -- "school-wide morning meetings" -- will celebrate each in turn and make clear what each stands for by talking about what it looks and sounds like at our school when people cooperate, are assertive, responsible, empathic, and exhibit self-control.

     You can support this idea at home by finding ways to encourage the same qualities in your family.  Children make better connections with what they are learning when school reinforces what they learn at home in terms of how we should treat each other and when home reinforces what they learn at school.  Thank you for your part in making this happen. Check out the Teaching Tolerance website on the Resources for Parents page.

    Please visit the resource page for some helpful websites.

Please Email Madelyn Nash if you have questions or comments about this page.

Return to Guidance Homepage

Central Web Page

 District Web Page

Last updated October 25, 2007