This week in room 9 we've had a great first week of getting to know each other and establishing class norms and routines! I've enjoyed getting to know all my students and their unique strengths and interests.
On our first day students learned the Tribes Community Agreements, which are:
1) Attentive Listening
2) Mutual Respect
3) Appreciation, No Put-Downs
4) The Right to Participate
5) Safety First
I find that using these agreements is a powerful tool to help create a positive and safe atmosphere within the class.
This week the students also wrote letters to their future selves, which they will get back to read at the end of June. Students made predictions about the year, and asked questions to their future selves. In addition, we had a funeral for our "I Can'ts", putting to rest our feelings that we can't do certain things, and changing those statements to, "I am learning to."
We also began our work on independent reading, writing and math this week, and established norms and routines. I emphasize quiet during independent reading periods so that everyone can think, as reading is thinking! I also emphasize collaboration during math, so that students can learn from each other as well as from me. In writing students are beginning to brainstorm about their first piece of writing.
Finally, we began an "I Am poem" mixed media project. Students used positive adjectives to describe themselves in a poem, and created a mixed media piece of art using glue lines and watercolour paint. The final products will be complete next week. We also watched the movie McFarlane as a group team building activity, as well as to learn and establish class norms. The class learned that students in other parts of the world struggle to get an education, and also that to succeed one has to set goals and work hard!
Homework:
1) Read for 20-30 minutes daily. This will be daily homework all year long. Homework folders will begin after Curriculum night.
Important Dates:
Thursday, Sept. 22: Curriculum Night
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