Sunday, May 17, 2020

Sunday, May 17, 2020


Mr. Sassman's 4th Grade Class Blog

Weller Elementary School


My, how you have grown!
But really...



In a million years, I never could have imagined ending a school year like this, but Tuesday is the last official day of school. For this week, however, the fourth-grade team of teachers has come up with one final Choice Board. While my heart is saddened that we could not go to Twin Bears this year, we filled it with some camp-like stuff! For tomorrow's Zoom meeting, please be prepared to share out one or two fond memories that you have from your fourth-grade year. It could be as simple as a lesson, or something else that stuck in your mind, perhaps a field trip or art project! In the meantime, here is a little something from me to you!

Dear Students:

I knew that you were going to be a special group of kids on the first day of school. You were my first class at Weller Elementary and you taught me a lot about our community and culture. I’m sure that I messed up a bit here and there because when you do something (anything) for the first time, mess-ups happen. But, you were patient, kind, funny, intelligent and you made me love what I do each day you showed up. Once again, and most recently, we have been doing something else for the first time ever. We’ve been figuring out how to still be us, teacher and students, from our own homes. You have risen to the challenge. We have been able to learn and try new things like Zoom meetings, Google Classroom, and Choice Boards. I have loved reading your work and seeing how well you navigate online assignments and the cool discoveries you make on 'Google everything.' You have grown so much this year, and I am even more proud and impressed with you over these past eight weeks!
You will always be my “remote teaching” class. When I’m all done teaching and look back on my career, it will be your names, faces, voices, and laughs that pop into my head when I think things like, “How did we get through that?” And “Man that was crazy, huh?” It will be stories of us that I share with my family and friends.
Like all hardships, we should look for a silver lining. Summer break is coming and Alaska is one of the most magical places on Earth (in the summer I may argue). I want you to go outside, explore, and be kids because before you know it, we will be back to school in the fall! I want you to pick up a book every day and grow your mind, 20 minutes is all I ask, please (I hope to run into you around town, so I can ask you about the book you are currently reading)!
In some ways, this crazy situation has made us better. You started out a special group and now you mean that much more to me. You have been a beaming ray of hope and a highlight for me during difficult days and I can’t thank you enough for that. Dressing-up, crazy hair, showing pets, show and tell, and even our fake spelling test (sorry, not sorry). I hope that when you grow older and you reflect on your education, specifically your fourth-grade year - the year of the pandemic - you think about having me as a teacher and don’t just think about the things we may have missed out on, but you think about how special this year was. I have loved being your teacher. You are creative, caring, resilient, and full of joy.
Be strong, stay kind, and always perservere. We have built a solid foundation in room 23 and there is no storm that will break us.
I am looking forward to seeing you again and one last thing. Congratulations, you are promoted to fifth-grade!
Your teacher,
Mr. Sassman