Mission Statement:
 "Room 15 is a class community attuned to inspire all students to achieve excellence, pursue world-class standards, be self-directed lifelong learners who become responsible and contributing citizens in society."
          Thanks for dropping by.
We welcome and invite you to take a tour of our Fifth Grade Class at
    Hawthorne Elementary
      Tulsa, Oklahoma

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” --Malcom X

Fifth grade is interesting, exciting, and very challenging. Students are expected to become responsible, self-directed learners, preparing for the rigors of Fifth Grade. Responsibility is stressed in several ways...Have you recorded your assignments in your agenda? Do you have all the materials that you need to be successful in the classroom? Have you completed all of your assignments and turned them in to the appropriate place and on time? Students find that fifth grade is a big change as expectations are greater and the curriculum is harder. With a team approach between parents, students, and the teacher, I can assure a productive and successful year for all. 
One of the first things you will notice as you enter the classroom is a sign on the door. The message reads: "Being a fair teacher doesn't mean students receive the same treatment or attention, it means that each individual student receives what he/she needs to be successful." We have an extensive classroom library where we get to  

          

As you can see our desks are not in rows. Cooperative Learning is an important part of how our classroom operates. Our groups change frequently for several reasons. One reason for change is so that all students have an opportunity to work with everyone in the classroom. Groups are also changed when it is apparent that the configuration is not conducive to productive learning in the classroom. Our groups are referred to as "Learning Clubs".
We are very lucky to have two computers in our classroom. Computers are a resource that we use on an consistent basis. We have access to quite a few educational software programs ( e.g. Math Munchers and The Oregon Trail"). These programs make learning fun and gives Ms. Whitfield another way to teach using all of our varied learning styles and multiple intelligence. We are learning to use Microsoft Word and and PowerPoint in our presentations and research projects. Learning to use the computer as a part of our daily class work connects us to "real world" application.