Conferences
Conferences are next Wednesday and Thursday October 21 & 22 with evening conferences on the 22nd. I am really looking forward to speaking with all of you about your child's progress and goals. If you haven't already, please go online to sign up for a conference. If you don't have internet access or are experiencing difficulties, please feel free to send me a note with some times that work for you and I can sign you up myself.
Battle of the Books
Our class has been participating in a book competition where everyone reads the same 16 picture books and then votes, bracket style, for their favorite books. The books are narrowed down until only two remain and then after a final vote, a champion is crowned! It is the March Madness of the reading world! While reading these books students have been learning how good readers jot down their thinking in ways that make sense for them in their reader's notebook. They are learning how to grow ideas about their reading and how to write about their thinking. They have learned to push their thinking deeper and how to determine a character's traits by looking at what a character says, thinks, or does. To say the least, the learning experiences coming out of these 16 books are amazing! When talking with your child over the next few days, ask them which book they like the best so far and why. Stay tuned for the winning book!
Struggles
Recently, we began talking about how struggle is part of being successful. No athlete, successful business person, or adult has made it to where they are today without struggle. Oftentimes, we do not see the struggle of a successful person, and children often think that people easily glide into these positions of success. For example, many children think Tom Brady was born good at football and that becoming the quarterback of the Patriots came easily to him.
It is important for us to teach children that sometimes it is okay to struggle and that we should persevere through these struggles. I have shared stories of my own struggles as a learner and have also invited other administrators from the district into our morning meetings to share their struggles. I am now inviting families to join us for a ten minute morning meeting to share their own struggles as well. Feel free to contact me a set up a time to join us for a morning meeting.
Upcoming Events
10/16 - Family Fitness Night
10/21 - Half Day - conferences
10/21 - Ice Cream Social 6 - 8PM
10/22 - Half Day - conference & evening conferences
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Google Docs
Today in school we went to the computer lab together and learned how to use Google Docs. Google Docs is how we will do some of our homework this year. It allows students to work on a document at school and then pull up the same document at home and continue working on it. Students will also be able to share these documents with me electronically and I will be able to give feedback immediately. A letter is going home tomorrow explaining what this is. Each student has a unique username and password. This username/password information is also included in the letter coming home tomorrow. Please put these in a place where they won't be lost. We are also attaching a copy in our homework planners.
Tomorrow night, students will be asked to try to sign in to Google Docs and continue typing up a final draft of a narrative they worked on in school. I will be eager to see how this goes, as it will be our first try. As with any technology, there can be issues to work out so please let me know if there are any issues.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Updates!
One Month Down....
This month has flown by! Our class has really grown in the past few weeks. We feel more comfortable working with each other and sharing our ideas. We are learning to challenge ourselves and to not give up when things get tricky. To keep things running smoothly I have some updates and reminders for everyone!
Thursday Folder
Our Thursday folders will be sent home each Thursday afternoon full of notices and work that we have completed in class. Please make sure that you sign your child's folder on the sheet in the front cover and send it back to school on Friday. Please take the notices and school-work out unless it is in the return to school pocket.\
New Project - Character Trait Book
A new project was sent home today that we will work on in school and at home. Students will often be introduced to a new character trait in school and we will have discussions about what this trait means. At home, students will be required to complete a book page about that trait. An explanation sheet was sent home today along with the booklet. There was also a parent signature page that I am asking families to send back in. This will help me to make sure that everyone is on the same page. We may not send this project home each day depending on our schedule and ability to introduce a new word in school. I will be checking in with students frequently on how it is going to see if there is any further support that students need. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
MAH
Last week's MAH looked great! Many students studied their math facts for longer than required! Please help your child remember to get it signed and brought back to school on Friday. There will be weeks where students will be asked to study math vocabulary instead of multiplication facts for MAH. We are working on vocabulary flash cards this week and will switch to studying math vocabulary for MAH next week.
Thank You!
I cannot thank families enough for donating supplies to our classroom during Open House. They were very much needed and appreciated! I am still in dire need of 5-subject notebooks. If anyone has any we could really use them!
Upcoming Events
10/1 Elementary Math Night at Forest Ave - 6 PM
10/7 International Walk To School Day
10/12 No School - Columbus Day
10/13 No School - Teacher Professional Day
This month has flown by! Our class has really grown in the past few weeks. We feel more comfortable working with each other and sharing our ideas. We are learning to challenge ourselves and to not give up when things get tricky. To keep things running smoothly I have some updates and reminders for everyone!
Thursday Folder
Our Thursday folders will be sent home each Thursday afternoon full of notices and work that we have completed in class. Please make sure that you sign your child's folder on the sheet in the front cover and send it back to school on Friday. Please take the notices and school-work out unless it is in the return to school pocket.\
New Project - Character Trait Book
A new project was sent home today that we will work on in school and at home. Students will often be introduced to a new character trait in school and we will have discussions about what this trait means. At home, students will be required to complete a book page about that trait. An explanation sheet was sent home today along with the booklet. There was also a parent signature page that I am asking families to send back in. This will help me to make sure that everyone is on the same page. We may not send this project home each day depending on our schedule and ability to introduce a new word in school. I will be checking in with students frequently on how it is going to see if there is any further support that students need. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
MAH
Last week's MAH looked great! Many students studied their math facts for longer than required! Please help your child remember to get it signed and brought back to school on Friday. There will be weeks where students will be asked to study math vocabulary instead of multiplication facts for MAH. We are working on vocabulary flash cards this week and will switch to studying math vocabulary for MAH next week.
Thank You!
I cannot thank families enough for donating supplies to our classroom during Open House. They were very much needed and appreciated! I am still in dire need of 5-subject notebooks. If anyone has any we could really use them!
Upcoming Events
10/1 Elementary Math Night at Forest Ave - 6 PM
10/7 International Walk To School Day
10/12 No School - Columbus Day
10/13 No School - Teacher Professional Day
Monday, September 21, 2015
Growing Brain
I cannot thank everyone enough for joining me for Open House last week. It was so nice to meet so many of you and to begin our journey working together to help your child succeed in fourth grade.
Growth Mindset
In my last blog I mentioned Growth Mindset. If your child shuts down or frustrates easily after making a mistake or chooses the easier option then this could be the gentle push your child needs. In a nutshell, research shows that there are two types of learners. The first has a growth mindset and believes that with practice and determination, they can get better at anything. The second learner believes that they are only born with certain talents or smarts and there is nothing they can do to change it. Research also shows that learners with a growth mindset are more successful than those who aren't. Here are two videos that can help you understand it further. The first was shown at Open House and the second is a little longer but worth the time if you have it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0OS4MrN3E&feature=share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN34FNbOKXc
Other News
Growth Mindset
In my last blog I mentioned Growth Mindset. If your child shuts down or frustrates easily after making a mistake or chooses the easier option then this could be the gentle push your child needs. In a nutshell, research shows that there are two types of learners. The first has a growth mindset and believes that with practice and determination, they can get better at anything. The second learner believes that they are only born with certain talents or smarts and there is nothing they can do to change it. Research also shows that learners with a growth mindset are more successful than those who aren't. Here are two videos that can help you understand it further. The first was shown at Open House and the second is a little longer but worth the time if you have it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0OS4MrN3E&feature=share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN34FNbOKXc
Other News
- Please send a water bottle in with your child. It will keep them in the classroom learning and not at the water fountain!
- Students did great on their RAH last week and most read more than the required amount. Thank you so much for helping them remember to get their RAH signed and for pushing them that extra mile!
- MAH (Math at Home) was assigned for the first time this week and is due on Friday. This week we are focusing on studying our multiplication facts. We discussed different ways to study in school today, but let me know if you need some other ideas!
Upcoming Events
9/23 - Ice Cream Social 6-8 PM
9/25 - School Pictures
Monday, September 14, 2015
Welcome Back!
Welcome Back!
A new year is underway and its shaping up to be a great one! I am hoping to use this blog to communicate to everyone what we are up to and what you can do at home to support your child.
For the past two weeks we have been busy getting to know each other and learning the routines and expectations of fourth grade. We have also been setting the tone by learning about Growth Mindset and how our brains work. Students have been learning that it will be okay to make mistakes this year because our brains learn and grow better when we learn from our mistakes. We have also chosen mottos that we would like to live by and are currently creating posters to be hung around the school showcasing our mottos.
I hope that you are all able to join me at Open House on Wednesday night from 6:30 - 8:00. I look forward to meeting you all!
If you haven't sent in a letter telling me about your child, please feel free to do so. I'd still love to read it!
Important Dates
Open House - September 16th 6:30 - 8:30
Book Orders Due - September 17th
School Pictures - September 25th
1/2 Day - September 30th
A new year is underway and its shaping up to be a great one! I am hoping to use this blog to communicate to everyone what we are up to and what you can do at home to support your child.
For the past two weeks we have been busy getting to know each other and learning the routines and expectations of fourth grade. We have also been setting the tone by learning about Growth Mindset and how our brains work. Students have been learning that it will be okay to make mistakes this year because our brains learn and grow better when we learn from our mistakes. We have also chosen mottos that we would like to live by and are currently creating posters to be hung around the school showcasing our mottos.
I hope that you are all able to join me at Open House on Wednesday night from 6:30 - 8:00. I look forward to meeting you all!
If you haven't sent in a letter telling me about your child, please feel free to do so. I'd still love to read it!
Important Dates
Open House - September 16th 6:30 - 8:30
Book Orders Due - September 17th
School Pictures - September 25th
1/2 Day - September 30th
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
More Journeys
More Journeys...
I've been writing about the journeys I have taken this summer through the books I have been reading. I can't wait to tell you all about the journey I took the other day to a magical land.....
Twelve-year-old Rump is used to being made fun by everyone in his kingdom. His name is supposed to be his destiny but he doesn't even know his entire name. In addition, what he does know of his name is pretty embarrassing! Even so, his luck seems to change when he discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. Many warn him that this is not a gift but a curse but Rump doesn't listen and as he weaves, trouble begins to brew. Is this a gift or is it a curse? Will Rump ever find out his entire name?
I could not put this book down and really had fun journeying to this fantasy world. I really liked how I already had background knowledge about the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin and how this book made me think about the characters and the story in an entirely new way. It went much deeper into why Rumpelstiltskin behaved the way he did and why it was so important for him to learn his name. I also really liked this book because it was full of quests, captures, escapes, mysterious creatures and magic. What more could you want?
I also got to meet a really great girl, superhero in fact, in another journey I took a couple of weeks ago in a book called El Deafo. Don't worry boys, she's is in no way a girly girl. She could definitely hang with the guys...
Cece is a normal kid until one day she gets a mysterious illness that ultimately causes her to go deaf. She now has to wear a large hearing aid strapped to her chest each day as she tries to fit in at school. At first she is horrified and does everything she can to hide it from her classmates, but then she realizes that she can hear things that other kids can't! It is like having super powers! Even with super powers Cece still feels alone. Can she use her super powers to find the one thing she truly wants...a friend?
CALLING ALL LOVERS OF GRAPHIC NOVELS!!! If you loved Diary of a Wimpy Kid you will be sure to love this book. The entire book is one long comic strip. This made it very entertaining and easy to understand. While I was tempted to fly through this book because of the comic strip set-up, there is really a lot to think about so it is useful to take some time and think like a good reader does. That is actually what I liked about this book, it made me think sometimes. Sometimes it had me giggling, other times I was cheering, and still others I was full of sympathy for lonely Cece. I can't wait to share this book with you this year!
I've been writing about the journeys I have taken this summer through the books I have been reading. I can't wait to tell you all about the journey I took the other day to a magical land.....
Twelve-year-old Rump is used to being made fun by everyone in his kingdom. His name is supposed to be his destiny but he doesn't even know his entire name. In addition, what he does know of his name is pretty embarrassing! Even so, his luck seems to change when he discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. Many warn him that this is not a gift but a curse but Rump doesn't listen and as he weaves, trouble begins to brew. Is this a gift or is it a curse? Will Rump ever find out his entire name?
I could not put this book down and really had fun journeying to this fantasy world. I really liked how I already had background knowledge about the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin and how this book made me think about the characters and the story in an entirely new way. It went much deeper into why Rumpelstiltskin behaved the way he did and why it was so important for him to learn his name. I also really liked this book because it was full of quests, captures, escapes, mysterious creatures and magic. What more could you want?
I also got to meet a really great girl, superhero in fact, in another journey I took a couple of weeks ago in a book called El Deafo. Don't worry boys, she's is in no way a girly girl. She could definitely hang with the guys...
Cece is a normal kid until one day she gets a mysterious illness that ultimately causes her to go deaf. She now has to wear a large hearing aid strapped to her chest each day as she tries to fit in at school. At first she is horrified and does everything she can to hide it from her classmates, but then she realizes that she can hear things that other kids can't! It is like having super powers! Even with super powers Cece still feels alone. Can she use her super powers to find the one thing she truly wants...a friend?
CALLING ALL LOVERS OF GRAPHIC NOVELS!!! If you loved Diary of a Wimpy Kid you will be sure to love this book. The entire book is one long comic strip. This made it very entertaining and easy to understand. While I was tempted to fly through this book because of the comic strip set-up, there is really a lot to think about so it is useful to take some time and think like a good reader does. That is actually what I liked about this book, it made me think sometimes. Sometimes it had me giggling, other times I was cheering, and still others I was full of sympathy for lonely Cece. I can't wait to share this book with you this year!
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Summer Journeys
Where Have You Gone This Summer?
Summer vacation can be full of excitement and traveling and I have done my fair share of it this summer. Some of the best journeys I have taken this summer however, have been through the books I have been reading. Before the end of the school year, our class thought back over the many books we have read this year and came up with some that we truly loved. We then wrote book recommendations to help each other choose books to read over the summer. I loaded up on books that I had not yet read and have been reading non-stop ever since! I thought you might like to see what I read this summer.
Please note: All of these books will be available to you in my classroom at some point during the school year. There is no need to run out and grab one of these books unless you JUST CAN'T WAIT! (Which I totally understand!)
Rhino is a young baseball player who gets a new bat that is perfect for him and really helps him increase his hitting. One day the bat goes missing though and someone is leaving him clues! There is a big game coming up and Rhino really needs to find his bat. Can he figure out the clues and find his bat in time?
This was an awesome read especially since my favorite team (The Red Sox) hasn't always been living up to their potential this summer. I especially liked it because it was written by All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard who was able to give a very realistic edge to the story. I love sports and follow many different teams so this was very interesting and fun. If you like sports then I'm pretty sure you will feel the same way. The mystery of the missing bat also kept me guessing and turning pages until I was finished!
Leo is a newsboy in San Francisco in 1906 and nothing is going right in his life right now. Leo's problems suddenly don't seem very important however when he is faced with having to survive a devastating earthquake. If this isn't enough, the city he loves is now burning to the ground! Can he get out alive and solve his problems?
If you like edge of your seat, then this is the book for you! I loved how the author made Leo seem so realistic and included details that came straight from history. It amazed me that this earthquake really took place and that kids just like Leo had to survive it. This is a great series and I can't wait to read more myself!
That's just a taste of what I have been reading this summer. I will post more soon. I would love to hear about what you have been reading. Feel free to email me at jleger@hudson.k12.ma.us and tell me about it! I'm nearly finished my own list and need some more ideas!
Summer vacation can be full of excitement and traveling and I have done my fair share of it this summer. Some of the best journeys I have taken this summer however, have been through the books I have been reading. Before the end of the school year, our class thought back over the many books we have read this year and came up with some that we truly loved. We then wrote book recommendations to help each other choose books to read over the summer. I loaded up on books that I had not yet read and have been reading non-stop ever since! I thought you might like to see what I read this summer.
Please note: All of these books will be available to you in my classroom at some point during the school year. There is no need to run out and grab one of these books unless you JUST CAN'T WAIT! (Which I totally understand!)
Rhino is a young baseball player who gets a new bat that is perfect for him and really helps him increase his hitting. One day the bat goes missing though and someone is leaving him clues! There is a big game coming up and Rhino really needs to find his bat. Can he figure out the clues and find his bat in time?
This was an awesome read especially since my favorite team (The Red Sox) hasn't always been living up to their potential this summer. I especially liked it because it was written by All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard who was able to give a very realistic edge to the story. I love sports and follow many different teams so this was very interesting and fun. If you like sports then I'm pretty sure you will feel the same way. The mystery of the missing bat also kept me guessing and turning pages until I was finished!
Leo is a newsboy in San Francisco in 1906 and nothing is going right in his life right now. Leo's problems suddenly don't seem very important however when he is faced with having to survive a devastating earthquake. If this isn't enough, the city he loves is now burning to the ground! Can he get out alive and solve his problems?
If you like edge of your seat, then this is the book for you! I loved how the author made Leo seem so realistic and included details that came straight from history. It amazed me that this earthquake really took place and that kids just like Leo had to survive it. This is a great series and I can't wait to read more myself!
That's just a taste of what I have been reading this summer. I will post more soon. I would love to hear about what you have been reading. Feel free to email me at jleger@hudson.k12.ma.us and tell me about it! I'm nearly finished my own list and need some more ideas!
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