Building Diversity into the Common Core | Teaching Tolerance

Building Diversity into the Common Core | Teaching Tolerance

Five Standards of Effective Pedagogy | Teaching Tolerance

Five Standards of Effective Pedagogy | Teaching Tolerance

Hi

NEA - Play Ethic: An interesting Article

NEA - Play Ethic

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

In 2011 we welcome a new friend to our classroom community, Grace. As one child astutely deduced on her way out to buses on the Friday before vacation: "I will know who she is, because she'll be the only friend in the room I don't recognize." Well done! True to form, she and all of the rest of the children have already welcomed Grace with anticipated friendship and acknowledgement that she is new and unfamiliar with routines. I know they will envelop her in the joyful learning laboratory that is our classroom!

Thank you all for the wonderful class gift and warm wishes for the holiday season. I thoroughly enjoyed our Family Day gathering! I look forward to a wonderful start to the new year. Happy 2011!! I am excited to see your children's bright, smiling faces tomorrow morning! (May they all get a good night's sleep and come in bight-eyed and bushy-tailed:-)

Thank you all again!
Maureen Silven

News and Notes

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Safe travels to those who will be going away over the break!

Pajama Day was a big hit! I wish I could include photos; however, they all include children's faces. Once again, the class rose to the occasion. They are such a wonderful group. Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with me and share your thoughts, insights and visions for your child. Parent/Teacher conferences were highly productive and thoroughly enjoyable. How nice to chat with adults and share about the part of my job I love the most and the reason why I teach: your child!

We are currently wrapping up our current unit in TERC after numerous reinforcement and extension activities. Below are some examples of the types of activities in which your child has been involved over the course of the unit. Soon we will begin Unit 3: What Comes Next? ~Patterns and Functions.

READING WORKSHOP
Concepts of Print

Locating and Recording Titles

We have also begun our Book Logs. Students read/peruse the titles, then record the book on their log. Additionally, they circle a happy face or a sad face according to whether or not they would recommend the book to a friend. In writing workshop we continue to work on detailed, experiential stories called "small moments." Children are encouraged to sketch the story to "capture the image and record 'memory joggers'" for when they go back to write the text to match each of the three illustrations. Books now include a title page with lines for the name of the author and illustrator (namely, your child.) Recent conventions introduce are: talking bubbles, thinking bubbles, and even dream bubbles! Mechanics have included: spaces between words and reading over the sentences to edit as needed. Naturally, students are in different places in this process, which is why we offer children multiple opportunities to develop their story sense, spelling skills and voice. Internal dialogue is one way for more advanced writers to consider their audience (writing for readers) and include such literacy elements as: "I thought to myself, this is going to take forever!" Oral retells now focus on recalling details in a sequence and making text-to-self connections. As you can see, we are full swing with our literacy curriculum!

Here is a song that we listened to about Columbus' arrival to the land and the Native Americans. We also talked about family and how gatherings on Thanksgiving are a time for celebration!

Look for information coming home soon regarding Family Day in December:-) Further updates on Open Circle, science and Global Studies are forthcoming. Below is a link to an interesting website/blog (see My Blogs to the right.)

Growing Up Global

Growing Up Global Family Night in Washington DC

http://www.growingupglobal.net/blog/?p=416

THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR VOLUNTEERS! Remember, if you are unable to join the class during any of the volunteers slots, let me know (or get in touch with Stephanie or Fiona) and we can set something up. Reading to the class is always a nice, simple and engaging way to visit us and get to know your child's classmates!

Pajama Day!

PAJAMA DAY NOVEMBER 19TH!

The class has been working very hard in the classroom, in music, art, library and P.E. They have done an excellent job being respectful in the cafeteria, in the hallways and with other students in the building. They have been an exceptional audience at assemblies, plays and programs. Many teachers have noticed how polite and kind they are as a group. So, it's time to celebrate! Kindly see the notes below regarding our Pajama Day next Friday.

• Children should come to school wearing their pajamas, if they choose, as opposed to changing at school. Your child may bring one stuffed animal, doll, or plush toy (nothing electronic, please:)

• Kindly remember sneakers for P.E.! It might make best sense to send your child to school wearing his/her sneakers. If your child wants to bring slippers to wear around the classroom and school, that’s absolutely fine! Your child should bring her/his backpack, snacks and lunch as usual. It should be a fun day!!