Fifth Grade

We have had a great year in 5th grade - I am looking forward to this coming year.

We will be having the annual 5th Grade Parent Dinner.  Stay tuned to see when it is.  You will want to attend this.  It will be a great way to help you and your child feel more comfortable about the new expectations in moving up! 

Next year the students will have the opportunity to be inducted into our Middle School Junior Beta Club.  This is an honor and an exciting time for our students.  To prepare our fifth grade students for this event, I spend a day in each of the fifth grade classrooms talking with them about how to calculate a Grade Performance Average (GPA).  We looked at several report cards and averaged the GPA for each sample report card.  We also discussed how important the GPA will be as they begin high school in a few years and how important the study habits and work they are doing now will impact those early years in high school.  It was a fun and informative time and they asked some real thoughtful and challenging questions.

In April, we will have our annual Mother–Daughter Tea.  The date will be set for this soon.  Please plan to attend this event if you have a daughter in the fifth grade.  This is a great time for mothers and daughters to come together and talk about the way our bodies change and grow in adolescence.

One area of concern that always appears with students as early as third grade, and continuing through middle school, is conflict between friends.  I am always available to help you and your students with friend concerns.  Our goal when working with students in this area is to strive to teach them to handle relationships as we are instructed in the scriptures from Romans 12: 10 - 21:

¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.   New International Version (NIV)

I also found an article from Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, on this topic.  I think this article could be a great resource as we are helping students with their friendships.  It is titled:

Teaching Children to be Peacemakers

In this article he gives 12 principles to teach your children to help them resolve conflicts among themselves or with their friends.  Here are the 12 principles:

1. Conflict is a slippery slope.  Some children try to escape from a conflict, while others try to resolve it by going on the attack.  Few naturally try to work it out.
2. Conflict starts in the heart.  The choices we make to get our own way are deliberate.  We decide whether to be obedient or disobedient, wise or foolish, caring or unloving.
3. Choices have consequences.  For good or bad, the choices we make will affect us and others.  Conflict is often the consequences of a choice we have made.
4. Wise-way choices are better than my-way choices.  Selfishness is not smart and will not lead to happiness.  The wise way is to obey authority, make right choices, seek godly advice and respect others.
5. The blame game makes conflict worse.  It doesn’t work to point the finger at someone else, cover up one’s own bad choices or make excuses.
6. Conflict is an opportunity. By handling it right we get a chance to glorify God, serve others and become better people.
7. The "Five A's" can resolve conflict. These simple steps will almost always lead to peace

• Admit what you did wrong. Include both wrong desires and bad choices.
• Apologize for how your choice affected the other person. Express the sorrow you feel.
• Accept the consequences for your wrongdoing without argument or excuses.
• Ask for forgiveness.
• Alter your choice in the future. Think over and plan how you are going to act differently next time. 

       8.   Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling.     
       9.   It is never too late to start doing what's right.   
      10.  Think before you speak - Or before you act - Or before you confront someone.   
      11.  Respectful communication is more likely to be heard.   
      12.  A respectful appeal can prevent conflict. Learn how to make one.

This is only a summary of the article.  To read more of what Dr. Dobson has to say about resolving conflict, click here:

 For more resources that may assist you, please click here.