Monday September 14th, 2009

For a bit of a rainy (in Scotland we call a day like this 'dreech!') Monday it was another fabulously productive day in class.

First thing this morning I stated with a song (Nelly Furtado's Afraid) which I wanted the students to listen to, to figure out if they could listen intently enough to find if there was a lesson in the lyrics. It was a theme that I intended to follow up in the afternoon Personal Planning lesson. The students all listened and wrote their opinions without the benefit of a great deal of discussion (the discussion came in the afternoon). The song is about how we tend to hide ourself and not be who we really are because we are so afraid of what others might say. This led us neatly into an afternoon group activity in which we discussed peer pressure, decisions and challenges.

The students found the message in the song was about being themselves, not being afraid of opinions, being real about who they are, making good decisions about friends and behaviour and finally, not changing your values to fit in. So, I would say it was a success and the students seemed to enjoy the lesson in the musical form (even if some didn't like the music!!)
I was pleased with their responses and participation in this activity. We did a couple of journal entries and it seems that everyone was able to write something.

Class bins and math, socials textbooks and a class novel were issued today- my method is to numerically order the students as they appear on the class list and each student receives texts numbered the same - so whoever is first on the list gets texts all numbered #7-1 and so on. That is their class number and bin number and book number. This makes it easy to return lost books and for me to know at a glance who has not handed something in :)

I returned last week's spelling diagnostic and took about 15 minutes to explain the grade 6/7 French program we will be starting tomorrow.

I was a little dismayed at the students who did not bring supplies after two weeks. The students need binders and dividers (I have issued gently used binders to students who had none today so we could get started on organization). My main focus this term is on setting up an organizational system that will help them now and in the future when they have to use a locker at the high school next year. Students must also bring planners every day just because planner use will translate into one of the marks for Personal Planning throughout the year. It is their responsibility to bring it and to take it home at the end of the day. A few students wrote in it and left it behind in class today!!! I'll have a chat with them tomorrow.

I read aloud chapter three of the class novel. Some students may wish to take it home and read it and they are welcome to as long as they realize they will have to 'go back' for the reading assignments AND must vow not to spoil the story for others.

Music class went ahead from 10:45-11:30 with Mrs. McPhee.

After that I introduced the math text with a Scavenger Hunt through the book and its contents. The grade sixes will be using Math Makes Sense and the Grade sevens Math Links (which is the junior high book they will be using in grade eight and nine). This will be completed tomorrow as I was wary of sending books home and not having them in class tomorrow!!

Mrs Dawson was so happy with the grade 6/7 's playing soccer together at lunch time last week that she baked them her all time best brownies :) Everyone was very appreciative. Thank-you Mrs. D.

Silent reading (DEAR Drop everything and read time) was next after lunch- students need to bring a book to keep or plan to go to the school or public library- I do have a limited class library but I find it can be a distraction if more than one or two don't have reading material!

The discussion activity described above for personal planning wrapped up with each student thinking and writing about what they consider their biggest social challenge this year. It was interesting that some were unable to separate social behaviour from their perception of their curricular challenges. So instead of saying as an example "I need to try to stop distracting myself", I would get "I suck at math". I'll need to get creative and encourage the students to self- assess their social habits.

We finished the day with the students designing a unique nameplate for their desk, a look at my preliminary seating groups and going over a correction to the Blog address which was incorrect on the information (thank-you to the parent who let me know) and brief newsletter for parents about our plans for the week. The students had some time to finish their CD covers - I received another 5 today thank-you.

Not all entries will be so long. Thanks for hanging out with me this far. Thanks for reading.

For today the homework again is more organizational
Parent information worksheets- I have 5 still to get
Goal Sheets sent home for completion Friday - I have 13 to get!!!
Supplies needed for organizing work- binders and dividers
a book for reading
bring planners daily
Phys. Ed. tomorrow with Mr. Parker
CAT testing in class

Have a good night. Mrs. J.