Welcome to foruth grade at the Moody Elementary School. My name is Steven Ibarguen and I have been an educator in Lowell for the past twenty-six years. I have taught third grade since 2006 and admire the process my students take in order to evolve into more responsible, independent, and motivated young learners. Witnessing their growth firsthand throughout the school year makes me proud of their achievements and reinforces my desire to become a better teacher each year.

In our class, we focus on becoming critical thinkers by sharing our ideas in a respectful environment. Students use discourse to express their knowledge of academic language. They provide reasons for supporting or disagreeing with their classmates’ ideas while, at the same time, learning to accept alternative points of view. All students are expected and encouraged to express themselves by asking questions for clarification and to deepen their understanding of topics being learned.

Developing civic values is also an integral facet of learning in our fourth grade classroom. Students learn about character traits such as kindness, acceptance, responsibility, and perseverance by reading rich literature and are rewarded for demonstrating these qualities at school during monthly character trait assemblies. My goal in third grade is not only to have them master grade level standards outlined in our curriculum, but also to encourage them to become valuable contributors within our school and outside in their homes and communities.