Wednesday, June 15th

I was a bit worried about today considering it is THE big game day, that some of my students are cheering for Boston and I wasn't sure after yesterday's frustrations what the day would bring. However, I am happy to report that I finished today in a better frame of mind :) It also helps that we have the staff fitness circuit in the gym after school.

I took a bit of a risk with my class today after realizing that the 'call them out' technique that the students wanted was not effective in changing behaviour so after recess, and a bit of a challenge to settle students, I explained to them that I was really tired and frustrated with a few repetitive behaviours that were becoming a 'game' to them and a management challenge for me- the risky part was that I could actually feel the emotion in my words to them and while I didn't break down and have an  'ugly cry', the students responded to my plea for them to step into my shoes and have some empathy.So, yes, they do have hearts and they can rise to the challenge- I know it!

It was also a nicer day weather-wise and we had an hour of Phys. Ed. outside in the back field this afternoon.

Homework
Math review test for fractions tomorrow- the students voted after being back at school for the Band concert last night to do the test Thursday
Will they practice and/or study? I won't hold my breath!
Reminders
Photo money
Splashdown Park due Monday June 20th
Friday Sports Day
LOST AND FOUND- you lost it; we found it so come and refind it on our goodie table in the hallway!!

General Day
Francais to start the day vivent les sports- today I felt that the students had the confidence now to complete the acitivities for the story with a partner (being given the vocabulary (la lexique) of course). I only read through the story today with little explanation en anglais and I was very encouraged to monitor the partners help each other to meet one very challenging learning outcome: to begin to derive meaning from authentic French resources
In this case the 'authentic' resource was one of the bandes dessinees livres avec une histoire en image (story in pictures). If you could only see the difference from when I first began trying to introduce French to these students in grade six last year I think you would be impressed avec la difference.

I have to remember these things to keep US going :)

We took some time next to complete a couple of activites from Monday's short story Charles - reviewing story grammar helped the students synthesize the main elements of the story and complete the graphic organizer showing their understanding of the author's story structure.

I read them James Thurber's short story, The Night the Ghost got In- which I had heard was the inspiration for the old comedy called SOAP (does anyone remember SOAP?) the kids had no idea what I was talking about and the story didn't really resonate with them- I still think it is a funny one but James Thurber's humour is a bit subtle and I guess a bit strange for the uninitiated so I certainly understood that they didn't 'get it'.

For math the students voted to do the test tomorrow instead of today so today we did a couple of practice puzzles using the skills of addition and subtraction and discovered a couple of neat things from solving the 'puzzle' part
Did you know that the oldest tree species in the world dating back 5000 years in called the Bristlecone Pine?
And
The westernmost point of the USA is in Alaska on Attu Island and is called Cape Wrangell?
Now you know :)

DEAR time - took a bit to settle them but as usual they needed the time and as long as I monitored for disappearances and the "I'm just getting a book" movements around and about, they all managed to relax (well  most) for at least 20 minutes

Next we did our class vote for the MC and the speeches that have to be written and made at the award ceremony on behalf of the students to their parents, teachers and the remaining school students. Results tomorrow as I didn't get time to announce due to the next part of our school day...

Some times out of the blue comes a gift in disguise- this one came to me in the middle of my math class yesterday- Kevin (one of my former students- now in grade 12 and graduating this year) visited to propose that he and a classmate (Herman- a German exchange student) teach a 'guest' soccer lesson. I was thrilled but everything was very last minute- they wanted to teach it today and I was on the hook to 'evaluate' their lesson for a year end assessment for Phys Ed.11/12!! BUT it was an hour of soccer with my squirrly grade sevens on a Wednesday afternoon so who was I to get all snobby about how 11th hour the whole planning of it was?

So that was why today we finished the afternoon earlier than usual and headed outside for soccer. The boys from the high school did a pretty good job considering but it was clear they were not used to (or ready to deal with) the antics of 30 grade 7 students for a whole hour and by the last part of the lesson I could tell that they were already watching the clock :) Still it was a little gift from above and I thank them very much. Most of the students enjoyed the class, no one was injured and everybody survived that afternoon. Soccer in my class will NEVER be fair for the girls because we have eight community soccer players who all play on travel (rep ) teams and they love to pass to each other - the girls feel always that they are 'chopped liver'. Hopefully with separate girls and boys Phys. Ed. classes at junior high, they will be avenged :)

and so to 3pm Dismissal
Got to go and see the hockey game although I don't think I can bear to watch- too stressful- maybe I'll try a few more report cards (less stress) Go, Canucks, Go
Mrs. J.