Letter #3

Dear 8th Grade,
I’m thinking a lot about the term inertia. It’s a vocabulary word for Unit 1, “May the Forces be With You,” in Science. Inertia we said is an object’s inclination or better yet tendency to not want to move. This year it seems like sometimes we are fighting the inability to move. We are fighting to build momentum. We are fighting to move forward so we can grow. But I think we all have some habits that are detrimental to us moving forward. And we have to fight those. We have some thoughts and ways of being that make us want to stay the same and not get better.

Life is progress. Life is progressive. At times life is cyclical, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t progressing. But my dear children, I digress, or I am not being concise or clear. What I mean is this year the work is not just about moving forward, but figuring out what forces are holding us back. Why when faced with a myriad or many decisions do we humans choose to stay in the same place?

We are, my dear people, resistant to change. It’s our nature. We rather stay still and conserve energy. But we need to move. We need to get on it. We need to look at what isn’t working and push ourselves forward. We know that force is a push or pull. I think this year my job is to really help push you forward so that you can reach your goals. It’s my job to hold you accountable.

Your job is to hold me accountable, and boy are you all doing a great job at that! You guys remember so much. I find that kids will forget to do their homework, forget they have other responsibilities, but they will never forget a promise made by an adult! Why is that?!!! [Insert TEACHER + EVERY ADULT WAIL here.]

Helping you this year is helping me to be a better teacher. You are quite literally forcing me to come up with new strategies, and innovative ways of teaching content. I feel like I am being pushed and pulled – this is not a bad thing. It actually is a good thing, because you are moving me forward as a learner and a teacher. I am learning how to better differentiate content and processes, and for that I am grateful. My brain is being stretched. I don’t get it all – yet – and neither do you - yet.  But together we will push past this inertia as we find our motivation. Let’s get moving people. You know my motto: "Head up, heart up, and keep moving forward." 
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Yours truly,
 
Ms. St. Jean