S.O.A.R

Before a child can truly learn to celebrate their successes, they must first learn to "F.LY". What does it mean to F.L.Y?
To fly you must
F-First L-Love Y-Yourself.

Helping students learn to have self-love and confidence is the first and greatest step toward teaching a student to be successful.
This is why having a growth mindset approach in the classroom is so important. We live in a time where everything is just a click away.
Children are flooded daily with ideas on what and who they should be; how they should look, talk, and act. We must teach our children that everyone is special in their own right. Everyone deserves to be loved and treated with respect. The most important step for many children is allowing themselves that same opportunity. That starts with learning to love ourselves. When we learn to love and accept ourselves; both our strengths and our weaknesses, we give ourselves the power to truly learn to SOAR.

Having a growth mindset approach in my classroom that teaches these things is very important to me. I have based my classroom theme on the idea that all students can learn to S.O.A.R. The lesson I want my students to come to internalize is that no matter the difficulties or struggles that lay ahead of them, they can do anything they put their minds to. Students in 1st grade are just learning what school is really about, and it is a pivotal time in their lives when they can develop a love for learning and exploring the world around them.

S- STAND TALL,
Be proud of who you are!
You are you and that makes you special and unique.
Be U, this is what makes you beUtiful!

O- OVERCOME,
It's ok to make mistakes, we can do hard things.
Keep trying and never give up!

A- ACHIEVE
Small and Steady progress is what helps us to achieve our goals.
Keep making new ones, and let the joy of your achievement push you towards bigger dreams.

R- RISE TO YOUR DREAMS
Keep reaching for the Stars, don't settle for less than your dreams!

As part of our Morning Meeting routine, the class recites the following together each day.
"In this class, I am learning to SOAR!
All I have to do is try a little more.
I won't be afraid to do hard things.
My teachers got my backs,
and I'm growing my wings.
The more I try, the higher I fly.
I am learning to SOAR!"

This rehearsal and daily reminder is a strong catalyst towards helping students understand the power and control they have within their own lives. It drives them to make better choices, to try hard even when things get difficult, and to develop flexibility when things don't go their way. As part of our growth mindset learning, we discuss others who have learned to SOAR in our classroom. We call out the good, and we celebrate mistakes because they show that we are learning and we are trying. The most important thing is that, in our classroom, we are working toward turning this motto from an idea, into a reality. Recognizing the process helps children to develop a positive growth mindset and opens the door to endless possibilities for their own lives. Together both teacher and students are learning to SOAR!

• Mrs. Jensen