~and once I was a fourth grader, just like you~ (a letter to the children)

The 2020-2021 school year marks well more than 40 years for me as an educator in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, and now Oklahoma.  The world we find ourselves in is much different than it was for me in my first year of teaching back in my hometown of Haven, Kansas in the fall of 1979.  As much as things seem to change, I cling even stronger to the traditions that I mark each August.  This blogpost has been one of those "annual rituals" for the past 7 years.  I will share this story with my new class of 4th graders here in Newkirk, Oklahoma later on this morning when we gather in our classroom for the very first time.  Please dear friends, pray for all educators and their classes this year.  Now more than ever, we need you!


~a letter to the children~

Dear fourth graders,

It's early in the morning as I write this message to you.  As a matter of fact, it's 4 a.m. so I imagine that you are all still sound asleep and perhaps even dreaming of the year that lies ahead in school.  Even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic,  I want 4th grade to be your best year ever and you know what?

I believe it will be!

There is much to learn in 4th grade, much more than the 9 and 10-year olds of my time had to pick up and understand.  I want you to learn the joy of reading as well as how fun writing can be.  There will be math aplenty for us to do as well.  I hope to help you develop your critical thinking skills as we solve all kinds of problems along the way.  Science and social studies will be integrated into many of the lessons that we do each day.  By the end of the year in May, I hope that I have helped you get to the place where you will be ready for the fifth grade and beyond.  I promise that I will always try to do my best and I will ask of you the very same.

Yes, there are plenty of lessons to be learned this year, but some of the greatest things I can teach you will never be found in a lesson plan book or on the list of Oklahoma state standards of education for children of your age and grade.  I love to teach what I always call the "lessons of life" and since I'm nearly 65 years old, I've had a good portion of my own time on planet Earth to learn them myself.  I want to help you learn about character and how for better or worse it follows you everywhere you go, not only this year in school but any other place you might find yourself in.  I want you to understand that being the best reader in the class or scoring the highest on a state assessment in math is awesome but not nearly as awesome as developing good character.  For what good is anything if your heart is not kind and caring, or if integrity isn't a part of who you are?  

We will learn together and that's a fact.

Things will be different in our classroom this year, but we are not alone because classrooms all over the world face the same challenges.  Kay County, Oklahoma kids have plenty in common with children everywhere right now and in the end, I believe that we will come out just fine!  As long as we stick together there is NOTHING that we cannot do!

In just about 3 hours more we will all be together and I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be than at school with you guys.  It took me nearly 65 years of my life to find you all and thank goodness I found you, just in the nick of time.

Love, 

Mrs. Renfro


~Once I was a fourth grader, just like you!~

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