100 Vision and Mission Statements for Classrooms

Written by Chris Drew (PhD)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

A mission statement defines your class’s purpose and primary objectives. It explains to the students and parents why we spend every day in the classroom together.

For mission statements, you might want to ask:

• What are the three to five core reasons why the students are being educated?
• What is unique about your classroom or teaching philosophy that informs your beliefs about education?

A vision statement describes the future aspirations you have for the class. For vision statements, you might want to ask:

• What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?
• What sort of children or students do we intend to grow?

It’s good to have one of each in your classroom. So, let’s check out some examples.

Mission Statements for Classrooms

Let’s start with mission statements – remember, this is your purpose, often written in present-tense. This will guide your day-to-day beliefs and values.

1. Kindergarten (Ages 4-5)

• Safe, Welcoming and Collaborative: “We create a safe and welcoming learning environment that encourages creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.”
• Inclusive and Engaging: “We support each child’s unique potential by offering inclusive and engaging educational experiences.”
• Social and Emotional Development: “We emphasize the promotion of social and emotional skills, fostering a sense of belonging and self-confidence.”
• Cognitive Growth: “Our classroom provides stimulating activities and resources that advance cognitive development and critical thinking.”
• Holistic Enrichment: “We commit to delivering a holistic, well-rounded education that values play, exploration, and creativity.”
• Enabling Discovery: “We fuel a love of learning through exploration and discovery, nurturing natural curiosity in our students.”
• Community Connection: “Our classroom bridges the gap between home and school, fostering a compassionate community within our classroom.”
• Cultivating Creativity: “We promote originality and innovation, inspiring each child to express their unique perspectives and ideas.”
• Growth Mindset: “We instill grit and perseverance, helping children overcome challenges and celebrate their progress.”
• Balancing Individual and Group Needs: “Our classroom strikes a balance between individual attention and teamwork, teaching children to respect and value diversity.”

2. Lower Elementary (Ages 5-8)

• Discreet Growth: “Our classroom focuses on individual growth, developing personalized strategies to cultivate each child’s unique strengths and skills.”
• Active Learning: “We foster an active learning environment that encourages intellectual curiosity and independent thinking.”
• Joyful Learning: “Our classroom strives to make learning a joyful experience, integrating play, exploration, and creativity into our curriculum.”
• Inclusive Excellence: “We embrace diversity and inclusion, promoting respect and understanding within our diverse classroom.”
• Student Confidence: “We work to instill confidence in our students, empowering them to express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings.”
• Global Awareness: “Our classroom teaches our students to value and respect all cultures, fostering global awareness and citizenship.”
• Collaborative Spirit: “We promote teamwork and cooperation, guiding students to work effectively and respectfully in groups.”
• Practical Life Skills: “We engage students in practical life skills activities to promote responsibility, independence, and discipline.”
• Literacy Emphasis: “Our classroom emphasizes the importance of literacy skills, building strong foundations for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.”
• Parent-Teacher Cooperation: “We maintain open communication with parents and caregivers to collaboratively support each child’s learning journey.”

3. Upper Elementary (Ages 9-11)

• Academic Excellence: “Our classroom provides a rigorous academic environment that challenges students and fosters a deep love of learning.”
• Critical Thinking: “We nurture critical thinking skills, teaching students to analyze, evaluate, and create in all areas of study.”
• Respectful Communication: “We foster open and respectful communication, training students to express themselves effectively and considerately.”
• Social Responsibility: “We develop socially responsible individuals, emphasizing the importance of community service and civic duty.”
• Technological Literacy: “Our classroom ensures digital competence, integrating technology in our curriculum to prepare students for the digital age.”
• Leadership Attitude: “We cultivate leadership skills, encouraging students to take initiative and make responsible decisions.”
• Emotional Intelligence: “We encourage emotional intelligence, helping students to understand and manage their emotions and empathize with others.”
• Adaptive Learning: “Our classroom offers an adaptive learning environment that meets students where they are, supporting their unique learning style and pace.”
• Growth Mindset: “We foster a growth mindset, helping students understand that effort leads to improvement and success.”
• Lifelong Learning: “Our classroom instills a love for lifelong learning, inspiring students to become curious, motivated, and self-directed learners.”

4. Middle School (Ages 11-13)

• Intellectual Curiosity: “Our classroom cultivates intellectual curiosity, challenging students to ask questions, explore ideas, and seek understanding.”
• Creative Innovation: “We foster an environment where creativity and originality are valued, encouraging students to think outside the box.”
• Civic Engagement: “We encourage civic engagement, teaching students the value of service and the importance of active participation in their community.”
• Resilience and Determination: “Our classroom nurtures resilience and determination, helping students cope with setbacks and maintain motivation.”
• Collaborative Inquiry: “We promote a collaborative and inquiry-based learning environment, emphasizing the importance of working together to solve problems.”
• Healthy Relationships: “Our classroom teaches students to form and maintain healthy relationships, fostering kindness, empathy, and respect.”
• Leadership and Accountability: “We develop leadership skills and accountability, preparing students to take responsibility for their actions and decisions.”
• Academic Success: “Our classroom provides rigorous academics, aiming to translate knowledge into real-world applications.”
• Digital Competency: “We instill digital literacy and competence, recognizing the increasing role of technology in education and career readiness.”
• Self-Directed Learning: “Our classroom empowers students to become self-directed learners, fostering independence and initiative.”

5. High School (Ages 13-18)

• Graduate Preparedness: “We ensure every student is academically and socially prepared for the responsibilities and independence of post-secondary life.”
• Career Readiness: “We equip students with necessary skills and knowledge for future careers, fostering a clear understanding of various professional fields.”
• Empowered Citizenship: “Our classroom nurtures informed, active citizenship, instilling an understanding of civic roles and responsibilities.”
• Personal Development: “We focus on holistic personal development, encouraging emotional intelligence, resilience, and character growth.”
• Independent Thought: “We stimulate independent, critical thinking, empowering students to formulate, analyze, and articulate their own ideas and viewpoints.”
• Cultural Competency: “We promote cultural competency, creating understanding and respect for diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences.”
• Life Skills Mastery: “We teach essential life skills, from money management and organization to communication and problem-solving.”
• Social-Emotional Wellbeing: “We foster social-emotional wellbeing, helping students navigate interpersonal dynamics, stress, and emotional health.”
• Global Awareness: “Our classroom cultivates global awareness and sustainable thinking, connecting local actions to the wider world.”
• Innovation and Technology: “We drive innovation and digital literacy, preparing students for a rapidly evolving technological landscape.”

Vision Statements for Classrooms

Now, let’s move onto your vision statement. Remember, vision statements are about where you’re going – what do you want to achieve for the class and the students? They’re going to be future-oriented statements that talk about your aspirations.

1. Kindergarten (Ages 4-5)

• Child’s Love for Learning: “We envision a classroom where every child discovers their love of learning, nurtures their inherent curiosity and builds a foundation for lifelong education.”
• Compassionate Community: “Our hope is to cultivate a compassionate learning community highlighting the values of empathy, kindness, and mutual respect.”
• Nurturing Environment: “We strive to foster a nurturing environment where each child feels safe, valued, and capable of expressing their thoughts and feelings confidently.”
• Creativity and Imagination: “Our vision is a vibrant classroom where creativity and imagination are celebrated, instilling a lifelong passion for exploration and innovation.”
• Empowered Learners: “We aspire to develop confident and independent learners, secure in their unique abilities and engaged in their personal learning journey.”
• Empathy and Consideration: “The vision in this classroom is for our students to become empathetic beings who understand and value their roles in a larger community.”
• Cooperative Learning: “We envision creating a classroom environment that values teamwork and cooperation, guiding students to work together towards common goals.”
• Literacy Development: “We strive for our students to form a strong love for reading and writing in this classroom, laying the foundation for powerful literacy skills.”
• Holistic Skills Development: “We aim to foster a range of skills in the classroom, from cognitive and motor skills, to socio-emotional abilities, in our students.”
• Resilience and Optimism: “Our vision is to equip our students with resilience and optimism to overcome obstacles, viewing challenges in the classroom as opportunities for growth.”

2. Lower Elementary (Ages 5-8)

• Cultivating Inquiry: “We aim to nurture a classroom environment where curiosity drives the learning process, sparking a lifelong quest for knowledge.”
• Joyful Learning Environment: “Our vision is to make learning a source of joy, incorporating different styles of learning in our diverse classroom.”
• Holistic Growth: “We aspire to support each student’s cognitive, social, physical and emotional growth in a nurturing and stimulating classroom environment.”
• Well-Rounded Learner: “Our vision is to mold well-rounded individuals excelling in academic and creative areas while also demonstrating empathy and respectful behaviour.”
• Independent Learners: “We aim to cultivate independent thinkers who confidently pursue self-directed classroom learning and meaningfully apply their knowledge in real-life situations.”
• Global Citizens: “We envision our students becoming compassionate global citizens who respect and value cultural diversity by starting out with a focus on good classroom citizenship.”
• Teamwork and Leadership: “We strive to promote a classroom environment that encourages teamwork, leadership and collaborative problem solving.”
• Values and Respect: “In our classroom, we aim to foster values of honesty, responsibility, and respect, guiding students to become responsible and ethical citizens.”
• Effective Communicators: “Our vision is to empower students to become confident communicators, expressing their thoughts and ideas skillfully in the classroom.”
• Lifelong Learners: “We aspire to create a passion for learning that extends beyond the classroom and develops into a lifelong love.”

3. Upper Elementary (Ages 9-11)

• Academic Proficiency: “Our vision is a classroom where each student achieves academic proficiency, setting the foundation for a successful educational journey.”
• Critical Thinkers: “We aim to mold critical thinkers who analyze and reflect on their learning, fostering intellectual independence and innovative problem-solving.”
• Community Stewards: “We aspire for our students to become responsible stewards of their community, understanding and respecting the value of service and civic duty.”
• Culturally Mindful: “Our vision is to develop culturally mindful students who appreciate and respect diversity, fostering an inclusive and accepting classroom environment.”
• Confident Learners: “We aim to cultivate confident learners in the classroom who take risks in their learning process, evolving through challenges and achievements.”
• Technological Literacy: “We envision a classroom where students are technologically literate, being adequately prepared to navigate an increasingly digital world.”
• Empathy and Respect: “Our hope is to foster a classroom environment of empathy and respect where students learn to value each other’s perspectives and experiences.”
• Holistic Development: “We strive for holistic growth of our students – academically, socially, and emotionally – developing well-rounded individuals.”
• Resilient Attitude: “In our classroom, we aspire to nurture resilient learners who see failures as stepping stones on the path to success.”
• Responsible Citizenship: “We envision our classroom as a microcosm of society, where students learn the importance of responsibility, respect, and community engagement.”

4. Middle School (Ages 11-13)

• Intellectual Curiosity: “We aim to cultivate intellectual curiosity, envisioning a classroom where questions lead to exploration and understanding.”
• Creative Mindset: “Our vision is to create an environment that nourishes creativity and innovation, inspiring students to think outside the box.”
• Community Engagement: “We aspire for our students to be active participants in their communities, fostering civic awareness and responsibility.”
• Resilient Learners: “We envision a classroom nurturing resilience and determination, teaching students to persist in the face of challenges.”
• Collaborative Environment: “Our vision is a classroom that thrives on collaboration, where students learn to respect diverse opinions and work productively in teams.”
• Positive Relationships: “We aim to foster a classroom environment where students learn to develop and maintain positive, respectful relationships with peers and adults.”
• Balanced Growth: “Our goal is to promote balanced academic, emotional, and social growth for each student, fostering well-rounded individuals.”
• Global Minds: “We strive to cultivate worldly students who appreciate diverse cultures and perspectives, preparing them to thrive in a global society.”
• Technologically Proficient: “We envision students who are proficient and ethical in their use of technology, ready to adapt to the ever-evolving digital world.”
• Life-Long Learners: “In our classroom, we seek to instill the desire for lifelong learning, encouraging intellectual curiosity and growth beyond the school years.”

5. High School (Ages 13-18)

• Prepared Graduates: “We envision graduates who are fully prepared academically, socially, and emotionally, ready to undertake their next life path with confidence.”
• Career-focused Learners: “Our vision is to equip students with essential skills and understanding of myriad career possibilities, aligning their educational journey with their career aspirations.”
• Engaged Citizens: “We aspire to develop engaged citizens who understand the importance of a democratic society and are informed, active, and responsible.”
• Independent Thinkers: “In our classroom, we aim to nurture independent and critical thinkers who are capable of logical reasoning and making well-informed decisions.”
• Culturally Sensitive: “We envision a classroom where students are culturally sensitive and appreciate diverse perspectives, encouraging global understanding and mutual respect.”
• Competent Communicators: “Our classroom vision is students who are effective communicators, confidently expressing their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a multitude of settings.”
• Resilient Attitude: “We strive to cultivate a resilient attitude in students, preparing them to face challenges and adversity head-on with grace and determination.”
• Digital Mastery: “We envision graduates who are masters in digital literacy, prepared for a technology-driven world, and who understand and respect digital ethics.”
• Lifelong Learners: “Our vision is to foster a love for lifelong learning, encouraging students to be continually curious and self-driven beyond high school.”
• Empathy and Respect: “We aim to develop students who demonstrate empathy and respect for others, making our classroom inclusive, and promoting a harmonious society.”

Tip: Start with your Teaching Philosophy

When crafting a vision and mission statement for your classroom, consider the core values that you have, which form the core of your teaching philosophy. These will likely end up becoming embedded in your mission and vision.

For example, if you’re a teacher who embraces a constructivist pedagogy, you’d likely embed ideas like “active learning” and “inquiry” into your mission. If you’re a teacher who embraces progressive pedagogy, you’d likely embed ideas like “empowered citizens” into your vision.

Core values and philosophies that may resonate with you as a teacher include:

• Lifelong Learning
• Respect for All
• Inclusivity
• Empathy and Compassion
• Collaboration
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Adaptability
• Patience
• Encouragement

• Student-Centered Approach
• Equality
• Innovation and Creativity
• Critical Thinking
• Enthusiasm and Passion
• Accountability
• Continuous Improvement
• Dedication to Excellence
• Cultural Competence
• Positive Reinforcement

Before you Go

I’ve also got some other, related, mission and vision articles that might be equally useful to you:

• Vision and Mission Statements for Schools
• Vision and Mission Statements for Libraries
• Vision and Mission Statements for Universities
• Vision and Mission Statements for Childcare
• Vision and Mission Statements for Gyms