You know that feeling when you spend a whole day cooking a nice dinner and it gets eaten in a heartbeat and then you are left with the aftermath and the clean up?
That's like giving out report cards- we spend what seems like months getting together all the evidence and assessing the various learning outcomes, creating them, weighing our words, checking them twice/three times, signing, copying them for the office files and stuffing the envelopes. When the time comes to hand them out, it is over so fast it is an anti-climax.
I hope you are satisfied with your child's report for the term and encourage you to call to make an appointment for either Wednesday evening or Thursday afternoon for parent-teacher interviews. I look forward to meeting you and please feel free if you would like to bring your son or daughter with you as that way there is no 'he said,she said' miscommunication.
I would have to say that these report cards for Term 1 are probably among the most thorough assessments of students that I have ever produced. FYI the Language Arts areas have been split into the various areas of Oral language, Reading and Writing skills. I have provided a mark for each and a rubric to clearly show the delineations of the different expectations for the 4 levels of skill.
I am proud of the students achievement and hope the reports give enough feedback that they can use it to look at what and where they need to go next in their learning.
Tonight's homework
Some (about 7) students did not finish an in-class paragraph for the language activity today- I set it for homework but I know some were left after school in the flurry of getting report cards tucked away into bags!!! I'll follow up tomorrow.
Unit 9 spelling test Thursday (did prep today)
Head's Up
report cards for Term 1 went home today
Tomorrow 10 grade sevens will be joining Mr. and Mrs. Parker's class on a fieldtrip.
General Day
Language and spelling activity returned Unit 8 - some will have the chance to redo later this week. We also worked on Nouns and plurals and some of the more unusual plurals (I got octopus wrong!!!) The puzzle spelled it octopuses and I had octopi (see I told the kids always check don't just believe everything I say!!!) lol
SRA Reading lab program introduction, placement test and practise run through using a story and comprehension questions, vocabulary and language activities recognizing synonyms, subject and predicate, heteronyms (words that are spelled and sound the same but have different grammatical functions like wind and wind (wind that blows- to wind the kite string). All students were issued their lab books from grade six and a new 2010-2011 Lab book- we will start on Wednesday.
The intention of using a lab reading program is to encourage independence at reading appropriate for each students' independent level. It allows a student to chose, read for understanding and practise language activities which refer them to look more in depth at the reading selection. It allows them to see their improvements and to record their achievement. They are working at their own pace and level and are not comparing to anyone else. Reading lab time in class provides a quiet, focussed reading session and allows for personal choice within the levelled cards available.
The lab for Grade seven ranges from a reading level of grade three to grade nine. In past years the students seem to have enjoyed the SRA lab time as it gives them a bit of control over their own reading and achievement.
DEAR time- Read your Face Off contest introduced. We will have some Library time tomorrow afternoon. Still encouraging the students to record their reading - still having issues with a small number of students who can't seem to help themselves interrupt and disrupt their classmates reading time. It's too bad but the good news is that the majority of students no longer find it as amusing as they once did and are getting rather annoyed.
Tried some French - abandoned it- some students unable to listen to any instruction despite the fact that the activity is one familiar and nothing new was introduced- like I said - morning will be a better time for French!! Stop talking about it and start planning it Mrs. J.!!!
Socials instead- a bit of reading into chapter three- beginning to introduce the concept of the factors that led to the first four major river civilizations. There were pictures and charts and the text book was safer and perhaps more engaging than the abstractness of the language lesson- maybe that is the issue- I need to find a way to make French more visual!!!! I'll get right on it!!
Report card delivery- allowed the students to peek and read and ask so they could see them before they brought them home to you. There are attachments on all reports this term. I have copies of them so if you think a part didn't make it home, just ask!!
Phys Ed. Played an energetic game of 'knuckle Ball' or 'gaga ball' (nothing to do with Lady GaGa) - students seemed to enjoy it and it was a good way to end the day.
3pm dismissal- now that the bodies are gone- it is cold in class. Stay warm and I'll see you all tomorrow.
Mrs. J.
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