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Transitioning to a New School Year
July 15, 2019
With a new year comes some mixed emotions for both parents and students. Some are excited about a new year and what will happen. Some fear the unknown of the new grade expectations. Some are sad that summer is over. These are very normal and real emotions that everyone goes through. I can tell you that teachers out there are feeling a little bit of the same emotions. As we process and plan our new year, excitement, fear, and sadness are all part of how we transition into our new school year. In hopes to ease your own transition, I offer you this look into a teacher's heart as they plan for the new school year.
You see, although many people out there view teacher time in the summer as vacation(and it is), but it is much more than that. Teachers take time to breathe of course, but a majority of the summer time is spent prepping for your kiddos. Teachers are planning lessons, creating instructional materials, reading about learning, or even learning new ways to intervene when your child might need them.
I tell you this, not to defend summer break for teachers, because I don't feel that is even needed. However, I tell you this to let you know that your child is in great hands. These teachers put their heart and soul into your child's education and life. They will never give up on them. Sure, we aren't perfect, and there will be bumps in the road. As you approach the new year with your child at what ever level, remember that we all have the same goal in mind and that is to provide the best for your child!!!!
Hopefully this will ease your mind a bit as you transition from summer to the new school year!! Best of luck and I know it will be great!!!
Student Reflection and Goals
Happy New Year!!!! A new year brings new hopes, ideas, and goals. It is the same with little ones. They can also drive their own education when they self reflect and determine what goals they would like to accomplish. I have always felt that it is important to a student's education to reflect on where they are and what they want their ending result to be. Then once their goals are set they can think of steps they can take to reach them. It seems like a very big idea for a six or seven year old. However, learning self-motivation and self-reflection techniques will take them far in life. The world is theirs and they have the ability to create their own path. Today we read the story, Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae. After we read this story, we talked about growth mindset. Then we made a collaborative poster about things we can't do YET, but would like to do. OH the things they came up with!!! Some ideas were chopping a board, doing a backflip on the trampoline, reading chapter books, writing longer stories, and of course survival of Minecraft. No matter what the goal was, we decided what we could do to accomplish it. Tomorrow we will set some new educational goals for this quarter. I can't wait to see what they come up with!!!! The sky is the limit with these kids. Their expectations are high and I love it!!!!!
Below is the link to the story on youtube:
Math Talk
Students in first grade have been diving into math talks. At the beginning of each of our daily math lessons, we take five to ten minutes to talk through strategies we use to solve problems. The students are posed with a question or representation to solve in some way. Then, they talk with partners about different ways to derive a solution to the problem. Last, we come back as a group to discuss all the different strategies we could use and explain our thinking. I encourage you, as parents, when working with your child on math to ask them HOW they got their answer. Listen as they explain all the different ways they think through a problem. Help them determine meaning with their thoughts and procedures. This can be a step that is missing. If you have questions or need ideas feel free to contact me and I would love to help in any way.
Fun in First
The students in first grade are learning about service and contribution. Giving back to our world and knowing that we can make a difference is an essential aspect of creating a better future. The students winter service project was to create fleece tie blankets for a hospital. Parents were gracious enough to provide materials and the students had a blast creating their blankets to donate.
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