Beyond the Basics- What My Students Learned This Year

Inspired by Kara Welty's @kara_welty blogpost I asked my students to write the top 10 things that they learned in 5th grade. Here is a compiled list of some of their responses. (I did not include specifics about a content area or more personal responses.) My heart did a little happy flip when I read their answers. We learned so much more together than the required curriculum standards.

1. Just try!
2. It’s good to make mistakes.
3. Never leave someone out. You accomplish more as a team.
4. Set goals to help you improve.
5. Read! Read! Read!
6. Be yourself!
7. I learned to work as a team and to build each other up.
8. I learned to learn from my mistakes.
9. I learned to be more responsible.
10. I learned to ask questions.
11. I learned that leaders listen and don’t just think about what they want to say.
12. I learned how to become a better person.
13. I learned how it’s important to laugh.
14. I have learned that school is FUN!
15. To keep our classroom clean
16. Coding is AMAZING!
17. How to not be that shy
18. To reach out for help
19. To take brainbreaks
20. I learned that it’s cool to have couches and comfortable places to work.
21. I learned to push myself. I pushed myself in reading and became a better reader.
22. I learned to try my best.
23. I learned that some questions have many answers.
24. How to be polite
25. To never give up
26. I learned to follow my passions!
27. The history of America and why we should be grateful to live in this country
28. To have an awesome time
29. To have fun as you learn
30. To have high goals
31. Have a positive attitude
32. A mistake just means you’re learning
33. Treat others how you want to be treated
34. I learned how to love math.
35. I can change the world!
36. I learned a lot of math that I actually understand for the first time in my life.
37. I learned a lot about writing and how important it is for a leader to know.
38. To connect with people around the world and learn from them
39. First, I learned how to speak in front of people. I’m not as nervous as I used to be.
40. I learned that even if you know a lot about a certain subject that you can still learn more.
41. We learned a lot of science but we had fun at the same time
42. I learned a LOT of technology!
43. I learned to think and show evidence
44. To have plan B, C, D, etc.
45. I learned to not worry if I’m not really good at something YET.