Why I Do What I Do

What gets me out of bed in the morning

The simplest, and most cliché answer is the students.  First and foremost, the person and the relationship has to come before everything else.  I work hard to develop relationships with my kids.  I listen to them, laugh with them, cry with them, and hold them accountable.  I want them not to only be great readers and writers, but I want them to be the best human beings possible. They are so much more than a test score and data, and when I start to forget that, it is time for me to move on!

My biggest goal is to pass on the love of reading to my students. I believe there is a perfect book for everyone and it is my duty to help them find it. I want to hear them say, “We get to read today,” rather than, “I have to read today.”  If I can get them hooked on reading, then that is a big win for me and them.

I believe that no matter where students are skill wise, when they enter my class they can grow as readers and writers.  Whether that looks like moving from a first grade reading level to a third grade reading level or moving from and eighth grade writing level to a ninth grade writing level, all students have the right to grow to be the best readers, writers, and human beings they can possibly be!  

-Mrs. Oldham