Some South Jordan Elementary fourth-grade students may be brainstorming the reason why they’re in school this year.

It’s part of writing class mission statements in Dodi Thacker’s and Karrie Wardell’s classes. 

Sheets of paper hang in the classroom so students can jot their ideas under each heading: “Who are we?” “What are we here to do?” “How will we do it?” and “Why will we do it?”

Current fifth-grader Jack Hawkins remembers Wardell hanging up the poster paper last fall.

“We took turns writing on it,” he said. “Most of us had an idea for each one.”

His classmate, Elle Peterson, added, “Once it was all filled up, we decided on the best ones for each question to put them into a mission statement.”

Jack said it was important to have the class create the mission statement.

“It helped us have a good mindset every day, so we work hard and do good things,” he said.

Their class mission statement said: “We are awesome fourth-grade Rams in Mrs. Wardell’s class who are hard-working students, good friends, nice and ready to learn! We are here to get a good education, have fun, play with friends and be good! We will do these things by coming to school, listening, showing we care, being mindful and use brain power because we want to be smart, go to college and be the best version of ourselves!”

Similarly, fourth graders in Thacker’s class created their mission statement: “We are the best class ever, full of SJE fourth-grade friends who are like family. We are here to learn, challenge ourselves and expand our minds. We can do this by listening, being respectful, accountable, motivated and safe. As we work together, we will move mountains to be successful in life and get a good education.”

The students then typed up their mission statements, choosing their own backgrounds, fonts and colors. They placed them in their planners.

Former fourth-grader Charlotte Turnbow chose to include mountains in her design since “we said we’d move mountains. I also highlighted words that are important to me like ‘SJE fourth-grade friends who are like family.’ I liked how the mission statement motivates us. We know what it means because we decided what it would be.”

Her classmate, Benjamin Dayton, highlighted, “We will be successful in life and get a good education.”

“This helps motivate us to do better at school, so we’ll get better jobs and that’s important,” he said last spring. “We’ve become family. When I look back, I see how we accomplished great things this year together.”

Elle said the mission statement teaches them “how to be able to accomplish things in life and be happy. It’s easier when you have a good mindset to tackle hard things.” 

She added it goes along with yoga Wardell taught the class.

Hannah Irion also was in Wardell’s class.

“At the beginning of school, I was bad at fractions, but when I had a positive mindset, it helped me do better and become more positive,” she said. “When you’re happier, then things come easier.”

Classmate John Kirkland said the mission statement helped his approach to learning

“I’m learning how to focus and concentrate more and that has helped me to get better at all subjects,” he said.

Elle compared it to her third-grade year when she didn’t have a mission statement. 

“I feel I did better this year because the mission statement reminded me I could do it. I became more confident,” she said.

John added the mission statement reminded him he has friends around him.

“Our mission statement said that we’re good friends, and friends help and support you, so that helped me a lot,” he said. “The more we do what we’re working on, the better we get at it and the mission statement helps us remember that, too.”

Hannah said it’s different than setting goals. 

“It’s not saying I want to do this. It’s saying I can do this now. It makes me more positive about things and myself,” she said.

Elle also likes a related class song which goes along with the mission statement.

“The song is fun because we have motions to it. It gets you pumped up for the day,” she said.

Jack remembered waking up tired some days.

“I was like, ‘I don’t want to go to school,’ but then I remembered the mission statement and went. And then we’d say it every day and then sing our class song and it just changed my attitude. I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this,’” he said

Wardell said the mission statement and song have been important tools in her teaching.

“It means something to them. They made this statement, and they’ve followed it all year. It gives them motivation and helps them see what they’re doing and why,” said the 16-year public school veteran teacher.

Thacker agrees: “They learn from it. They’re creative in what they say — ‘we move mountains.’ Every year is different, but it’s neat to see how every class feels unity, and it gives us a purpose more than just filling a seat.”

During the year, she may remind them about the mission statement.

“They decided that we’re working together on things and we’re friends. So we talk about how we are friends and we’re a team. How do we act as a team? If someone’s struggling with math, then what does a team member do? They take ownership for helping one another,” Thacker said.

Students have taken part of the mission statement process for the past decade. 

“I first read about it online and it worked with the Leader in Me program we were doing then. This gets everyone buy in at the beginning of the year,” said the 27-year veteran teacher. “It has been great; I’m surprised every class doesn’t do it.” λ