letters to my class

Dear Students,

I don’t want you to do your reading every night and dutifully fill out your reading log just because that’s what good 4th grade students do. I want you to do it so you become the kinds of readers and thinkers who can make sense of and find beauty in this complex world.

I don’t teach you write in proper paragraph from because that’s what the 4th grade writing rubric says you should do. I want you to write in proper paragraph form so some day you write inspiring and persuasive words that change the world.

School is just a practice space. But the things we learn are real.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Readers,

Tiger Rising is such a great book. And now, it’s a part of your reader identity. You will take it with you to whatever new book you read. You’ll compare it, contrast it, connect it, and extend it. You’ll use it as a measuring stick to hold up to every book you read.

And my hope is that someday you will reread the book but through the lens of new experiences, new identities, and new knowledge about the world.

Readers aren’t just people who read books. Readers are people who open themselves up to books and let those books become a part of who they are and who they will be.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Writers,

Good writers don’t save anything. They put their very best ideas out there first. They don’t hold anything back. They don’t worry about burning up their fuel. Because good writers have faith that they will always be able to come up with something new. And good writers believe their new ideas will be even better than the old ones.

This is good advice for living. Don’t hold anything back. Put your best out there as soon as you have it and whenever you have it. Have faith that tomorrow’s you will be an even better you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Truth Finders,

Last week, one of your classmates asked a seemingly simple question: is Blue Mesa the biggest lake in Colorado? But, like everything, the answer is a bit more complicated. And like the best questions, it leads to a rich conversation rather than a simple answer.

It’s a reservoir not a lake. There’s a larger reservoir in Colorado that also stretches into New Mexico. And the levels of all reservoirs go up and down because they are fed by rivers, which are fed by snowfall.

So we’re dealing with tricky things that all interact and make a giant mess–human-created dams, weather, human-drawn borders.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Truth-Seekers,

In today’s world, finding the “right” answer is easy. Google it, ask Alexa, copy it off your neighbor’s paper, or just make it up and keep on repeating it with gusto.

But finding true answers is more difficult. Finding true answers requires a lifetime of searching and doubting and asking questions. Finding true answers makes you to dive deep into history and culture and really think about the things that make us human.

Retrieving the “right” answer might momentarily scratch an itch at the top of your cerebral cortex. But discovering true answers satisfies your mind, heart, and soul.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

Yesterday on my way to work, one of my tires was low on air. So I had to turn around, drive back home, haul my tire pump out to my car, and pray the tire held air. It did, but I was pretty grumpy about the whole ordeal. I thought the universe was picking on me.

Then, later on my drive I saw a tow truck hauling two cars out of a ditch as a result of a wreck. Suddenly, my low tire didn’t seem like such a big deal.

Everyone is going through something. And their problems might just be worse than our own. So treat each other with patience, grace, and understanding.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

People are going to annoy you. It will happen in school, it will happen at the park, it will happen in traffic when you’re old enough to drive. You’ll be annoyed by classmates, strangers, friends, and family. You’ll be annoyed in the morning, in the evening, on weekdays and on weekends.

And you’ll annoy people yourself. Even when you don’t intend to. That’s just a natural result of living in a free society. You’ll disagree with what others do and say and believe.

And you’ll have to figure out a way to live with it. You’ll have to figure out a way to live the life you want no matter what the people around you are doing.

Good luck,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Problem Solvers,

If someone’s a danger to themselves or to others, please let an adult know. But if someone is just acting like a knucklehead, tell them to stop acting like a knucklehead. You have the power.

Adults have created, or made worse, most of the problems that you’ll face. Do you really expect us to know how to fix them? No, you’re going to have to find your own ways. And the school playground is a great place to practice. Imagine a better world–or playground–where all people are valued and treated well, and work each day to make it a reality. One day at a time. You have the power.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Students,

Last night, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story hit three home runs. One of them was the longest home run ever hit at Coors Field. But my favorite at bat was his last one, the bottom of the eighth, when he had a chance to hit his fourth home run. He struck out, but he swung hard.

Trevor Story will play thousands of baseball games in his life. He’ll probably forget most of them. But last night, he made the most of the moment.

That’s how it is in life. It’s just a string of days, but every once in a while we have a chance to step up to the moment. Make sure you swing hard when that moment comes.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

It’s so easy to let our attention wander. Our brains love new things like five year olds love candy. And letting our brains go undisciplined in a world of constant distraction is just like leaving a five year old unsupervised in a candy store.

So we must fill our minds up with the task (or person) that is right in front of us. We must block out the distractions that are always buzzing in our pockets or popping up on our screens and focus on doing one thing at a time. And doing it the best we can.

If we do that, we’ll feel like we’re leading a life rather than just being led around through it.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck