I promise to show you that we all make mistakes, even as adults. I want you to remember that making mistakes does not mean you are dumb. I will make mistakes this year. I will stand up in front of the class and suddenly forget the formula for finding the area of triangle. And that’s okay. Mistakes are something to learn from, not something to define who we are.

I promise to remind you daily that you are smart, capable, and important. I promise that the bad grade you got on your math homework does not define you. The “C” you got on your English paper will not matter a year from now. The score you receive on a standardized test does not define you. You are so much more than a test score- you are a writer, an artist, an athlete, a musician, a friend, and a student.

I promise to treat you as an individual. You are not a number or a statistic. You are a person with brilliant ideas and a bright future. Our class would not be the same without you. No one could replace you in our class. Your opinion matters, your ideas matter, your feelings matter- YOU matter.

I promise to be patient with you. I want you to remember that learning is not a race. It may take you ten minutes to solve one math problem, and that is perfectly okay. You will have friends who learn faster, you will have friends who learn slower- and that is okay. Never feel bad for asking a question, needing another example, or taking your time on an assignment.

Lastly, I promise to believe in you. I promise to believe in you on the first day of school and on the last. I will believe in you at the end of the week, when you still can’t remember who founded each of the thirteen colonies no matter how hard you try. I will believe in you even when you doubt yourself and when you look up at me with tired eyes and say "I just can't do it." I will believe in you, even during times when you don't believe in yourself.