Two summers ago, I discovered my core values at Mount Holyoke’s Coaching Institute, and my life has not been the same since. My core values and my regular reflection on their presence in my life have helped me thrive professionally and personally. By seeking them out in my classroom and beyond, I am working towards my strengths and finding fulfillment.

This year, I am intentionally incorporating my core values into my planning. A simple sticky note in my planner reminds me to make space for joy, belonging, and creativity. After a month of teaching this year, here are some ways that my core values have shown up in my sixth grade classroom.

Joy

Joy could be about fun, joie de vivre, or cheer. For me, it’s about the magic of childhood. This year, I am striving to make experiences come alive with wonder, costumes, and story.

• sharing a bedtime read aloud the night before the first day of school
• host a book tasting with all the new books I purchased over the summer to build “Books to Read” lists in their literacy notebooks
• wrapping a special book bin like a present (“Tearjerkers”–complete with a box of tissues!) to reveal new books with lots of fanfare
• book fairy – many students haven’t even discovered her yet!

Belonging

When I first identified my core values, community was one of my top three. Over the years, this has transformed to belonging. A sense of belonging can come from a strong, healthy community, but it can also come from within. In the classroom, I want to create space for students to feel known, seen, and that they belong.

• walk through the woods to the Field of Flags to write a letter to ourselves about goals for the year
• hosting a zine fest
• creating a class alphabet about identity
• getting to know a classmate and their interests to create a custom clipboard
• The Circle of Power with my cabin at Outdoor Classroom
• creating a slideshow of images to share with families

Creativity

Although core values can shift over time, I cannot imagine a time in my life when creativity will disappear from my top three. Expressing ourselves, integrating the arts, thinking outside the box, and honoring million-dollar ideas that no one else would think of will forever be a cornerstone of my classroom.

• creating a zine
• designing their zine booth
• designing a clipboard for a classmate
• copycat poetry of “To a No. 2 Pencil on May 1, 2020” by Kimiko Hahn
• creating their textual lineages for the covers of their literacy notebooks

I cannot overstate what an impact knowing my core values has had on my life. When I was a literacy coach, I helped my teachers identify theirs. I led my colleagues in this exercise at one of our first faculty meetings. I have had my students identify their core values as well. Core values help me remember my and others’ humanity. Thank you, Elena Aguilar, for helping me find a fulfilling, sustainable practice as a human who teaches.