Thankful

This week many people will take time to reflect on what they are thankful for.  In school we  help students make projects of thanksgiving.  My thanksgiving reflection comes at the end of a busy few weeks and I find that my thoughts keep going back to our RES school community.  For the past two years I have been lucky to become a part of our Unified Arts team here at RES.  This team has motivated me to be a better educator and they have each taught me an enormous amount about education.

I am thankful for an amazing teacher librarian.  I am grateful to consider Mrs. Redford a teaching partner in our fourth grade classes, but I am also thankful for her talents as our school librarian.  She goes above and beyond to make sure students have books that support them as readers.  I have watched as Mrs. Redford sends books home with families in need.  I have also seen first hand the amount of time she spends curating our library so that every class and every student feels that their voice and their needs are heard.  This week Mrs. Redford spent additional time bringing an author to our school.  Giving students the opportunity to meet a writer is an amazing chance for students...but it takes time and effort that Mrs. Redford is always willing to put in!

I am thankful for a physical education educator who is the Vermont PE teacher of the year!  Not only does Mr. G provide amazing daily classes for students to learn athletic skills and teamwork, but he works tirelessly to ensure every child has a chance to ski or ride during their elementary years, provides extra classes throughout the day to give students additional movement breaks and is constantly striving to make connections with our students.

I am thankful for Mrs. Elliott who helps students to create beautiful and meaningful pieces of artwork.  I appreciate her efforts to support the Farm to School program with soup bowls for the Harvest Festival.  I appreciate her gentle and kind manner with students that provides a risk free environment for them to learn and critique their  art.

I am thankful for a music teacher who brings technology into the classroom to develop student's music skills and knowledge.  I appreciate the games and techniques that Mr. Arthur uses to help students learn creatively and the fact that he provides all fourth graders with an additional chorus time each week.

I am thankful for my 'roommate' Señora Harris and her dedication to helping all students learn Spanish. I also appreciate her geographic and cultural knowledge and how she adds these components to her curriculum so that students are learning language in a connected and meaningful way.

I am thankful to be a part of this awesome teaching team!

I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving and take time to thank those people that support your learning!

Mrs. Rankin