Get your journal and sit down. Warm Up page L3 Write a list of: 2 things you would buy at the mall 2 things in your bedroom that you’re glad belong to you 2 places you’d like to visit 2 books you’ve read 2 of your favorite things to do

Class Rules But first, a video. On page R3 of your journal, write 3 things that stood out to you in the video https://youtu.be/x78PnPd-V-A

What is similar about all of the rules? they all start with respect The first rule is first because it is most important. Everybody say: I am the most important person in this class. Fast forward 6 years. Where will you be? What will you most likely be doing? How many of the students around you do you think will still be with you?

See, something I've learned about life is that it's a bunch of chunks of time. You're in this 3-year era called Middle School. You're going to have some great times with these people around you. You're going to make a lot of good friends and fun memories. And then in two years, you won't be with all of these people anymore. And in 6 years, you'll be with almost none of them. And that's why that's our first rule: "Respect yourself and your future." Because in just a few years, you're going to be all you've got. You think your mom's going to come stay in your dorm with you?

Respect your fellow students and their right to learn." Rule #2: Respect your fellow students and their right to learn." In 2 years, you're all going to fly a little ways away to your various high schools. One of you might move to North Carolina. One of you to San Francisco. Then in 6 years though, things really get crazy. Your dots are going to fly all over the globe. Boston. Cambridge. Michigan State. Oxford. UCLA. Paris Florida. Cairo. Tokyo. And across the ocean.

Which is why this 2nd rule isn't too far off from our 1st Which is why this 2nd rule isn't too far off from our 1st. If you goof off in your class, you're not just stealing from your own future, but you're stealing from 35 other futures sitting here with you. 35 futures who are going to fly all over the globe into their own lives just as you are. 20 years from now when you look back, you’ll ask your middle school self "How dare you steal this time from 34 other futures?" Because when we think of it that way, it makes that hilarious joke right in the middle of science class not so funny. Should we have fun in school? Yes. Tell jokes? Yes. But it matters when. Because all of our futures are at stake. Like mine.

Rule #3 says, "Respect your teacher." I know you may not realize it, but when I leave here everyday, I go home and I'm a wife, mom, friend, equestrian, girl eating at Chili’s. I'm just a girl. So when you leave trash on my floor to clean up and don't put the library books back the right way, you're taking time away my daughters would get to have with her mom. And here in class, I have a future too. This is my 2nd year teaching. I'm probably going to teach for another 30 years. I'll be 65 someday. My glowing green dot isn't going anywhere. It might even be in this classroom for the next 30 years. I know that might seem sad and pathetic to you, but I love my job, and I'm happy to be here for 30 more years. So are you really going to make 1 of my 30 a miserable year? Or what about your Social Studies teacher who has 3 more years till retirement? Are you going to make 1 of his 3 years left miserable? And who am I to make 1 of your 3 years here (33%) a miserable time? We're in this together. All of our futures, woven together here. In this place. This school.

Rule #4: "Respect your school's property and community." This year, we have a brand new school. The nicest in the county. It has been given to you, you’ve done nothing to earn it except live in the right place. This is your community. The one you didn't earn. The one you inherited. I dare you to live into it. How are you going to carry this legacy? How are you going to leave this place even better? How are you going to care for your future and all these other 34 futures around you? Because we believe in you. We need you. Now go get started.