Doesn't take long for 'things' to happen that challenge our collective sense of well being. I was ready to change seating but thought we might manage at least a week- oh well - I'll get busy re-arranging our desks and hopefully everyone will adjust to the routine and the challenge of the assignments as they ramp up. We will be drawing up a class charter (agreement) for both the grade 6/7 and the math 7 classes as at least that will give us a base line for our learning community and general expectations that we can expect of each other in the coming weeks.
So far...so good :)
Homework and Reminders
Only 2 students still have to return a communication form (isn't that great :)
A music information form went home tonight- some students don't need it if they are keeping with the same band instrument or have their own - if you need to re-do the agreement/rental dates are included in the booklet
Math 7 make your best effort to complete the Math Cross worksheet- show working but it is okay to use a calculator to CHECK your answers :)
Book Fair Friday and all next week in our library
$10 for planner and please bring your supplies so we can get things going organizationally :)
General Day
Met our new school counsellor (Shanti) and our youthcare worker (Iris) joined us today- both introduced themselves to the children and expalined their role in helping them have a great year at SES
Excellent show of French homework- impressive start indeed :) 25 of 27 completed the French questionnaire. Thank-you.
We read an article on the plight of the Africans of Somalia and discussed what we thought 'politics' meant to us. Interesting session. We will follow the work for the reading and thinking tomorrow in class.
Band
Math 7
briefly discussed the results of yesterday's diagnostic and what it means for my instructional plan: some glaring weaknesses are division process, multiplication process (3 digitx2 digit) and subtraction with borrowing steps! Today I reviewed the traditional algorithms (methods) for these types of arithmetic skills and the students received a cross word (cross math puzzle) to try to complete tonight practicing the steps of these skills.
We spent about 20 minutes at the computer lab showing the on-line program and the Blog.
www.mcgrawhill.ca/schools/secondary/mathlinks
Silent reading
Class charter activity- beginning to work toward a class agreement that we will all sign. Today we agreed on what it means tpo really LISTEN with one's body, mind and heart. It is one skill that we all could improve in our life generally (not just in class).
We also had a very interesting discussion about what stresses the students had regarding school especially regarding grades and marks- I feel that it is important to explain that the learning journey your children are participating in is so much more than a grade - a grade is an artificial marker that unfortunately sets some apart from others sometimes making them feel less worthy or skilled in certain curricular areas. Sometimes students give up. So we devise clever ways of 'encouraging' them that can and often do backfire.
A fish can get a A in swimming but what if I asked him to climb a tree? In our system, he'd fail.
Please be realistic about your child's skills and learning. I will do my best to encourage your children to be active learners and that means they will participate in both creating the assessments (rubrics) with my guidance and self assessing as well as receiving my corrective feedback. It is not all about getting A's :) It is more about knowing and understanding where, what skills and why we need improvement.
Phys Ed. Line soccer after a warm up - some wasted time today but we are still in the time management phase this week. It is important with 30 minutes that we are ready able and willing to function in the gym in an organized, safe and expeditious manner.
Introduction to our Manga art project (Japanese cartoon art form). We are fortunate to have Kelli's expertise in this genre of art.
Planners, homework and daily review.
Have a great evening. See you tomorrow.
Mrs. J.
got to run to my fitness class!!
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