Week #3: Sept. 19th - 23rd

Dear Families,

Another meaningful week for us!  I am very pleased with how my students have smoothly transitioned from summer mode to school mode :-)

I am VERY PROUD and so, SO PLEASED with the children's efforts and hard work.  It is truly a JOY being back at school and I think I can say for us all, what a gift it is to learn and grow from one another :) 

Look at these caring and compassionate friends.  I just had to capture this moment :)

As you’ve probably gathered from my blog updates, we have been go, Go, GO with our learning in class!  You'll soon see how much we’ve accomplished in a mere 3 weeks!  

Hand in hand, together we will achieve MORE.

Looking forward to much more learning to be done in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned!

MEET THE TEACHER:

Exciting news!  After two years of not being able to have in person meet ups due to the pandemic protocols, we can finally host families at our school and in our classrooms, YAY!  

By visiting our classroom next week, I am confident it will provide you with a clear vision of what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like in our class community.  It is your child's "home away from home."

I’m very eager and excited to meet all of my students’ families on Wed. Sept. 28^th from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.  

Pizza may be ordered using school cash online.  Families may order a whole large cheese or pepperoni pizza and picnic on the yard.  Any questions about this process, please direct them to Mrs. Beattie lbeattie@scdsb.on.ca  

When you’re done dinner, please come join me in our portable!  

Your child will have many things to share with you such as their desk, the mindfulness wall, math wall, and the various charts around our classroom that help us be our best selves!  I will also have some student work placed on desks so you can celebrate some of your child’s achievements in their language and math activities.

We're excited to share our classroom community with you oh so soon!

LANGUAGE:

We have been learning about what 'Good Writers' do in their writing.  Together, we came up with some effective ideas that we will use when we WRITE!  

Students will be provided with and encouraged to using an editing checklist to proof-read their work prior to handing it in and asking themselves:

Please click the image to enlarge it to see the criteria :)

Over the next several weeks, your child will be learning about writing a Recount.  Below, I have posted the expectations for this (see anchor chart photo).

This week, students had the opportunity to think and write about a special event from their life.  Please ask your child what he or she chose to write about in their Recount.  You will have the opportunity to see these writing pieces at Meet the Teacher next week :)

I'm learning so much about my students from reading their entries!  I am delighted to see everyone has enjoyed spending quality time with their family making special memories at so many amazing venues like Canada's Wonderful, The R.O.M., Ripley's Aquarium, Cottages, The West Coast, etc ...

MATH:

This week, our problem of the week focused on "Jumping Joey" Part 1 (see image below). 

Before beginning this lesson, we watched and listened to the video below which helped get our MINDSETS ready to take on a challenging math problem.  It fosters the notion of developing a growth mindset.

This is a story of two seeds – both planted on the same day, in the same soil, in the same garden bed. One has a growth mindset—with a curious desire to grow and reach the outside world—while the other has a fixed mindset—filled with fear and choosing to remain stagnant in its soil. In class, we have explored the characteristics of a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. We are never striving for perfection, instead I am doing my best to teach students to appreciate their mistakes / failures and to learn and grow from them!

Fear is a natural universal emotion, but we must remember that its the challenges that we face that help us grow. Tune into the video to learn more :-)

In class, I always do a modelled lesson first, then allow students to collaborate with a peer to give them the opportunity to 'TALK IT OUT' to build upon their math strategies.

The photo below is a poster I sent home and I encourage you to reinforce it with your child so they become well equipped when working with others :)

After sharing with a peer(s), I provide a guided task, and finally, an independent piece for students to show me what they have consolidated (learned).  

Below, you will find your child working as a T.E.A.M. ("Together Everybody Achieves MORE) to get their brains thinking of ways to solve the math problem :)

Please, take some time to sit with your child to talk about his or her strategies and some of the key learning(s) from the 'Jumping Joey' Part 2 math question.

Throughout the school year, there will be an emphasis on "multi-step word problems" where students will be required to use the 4-Block Problem Solving Method.  See below!  

Remember boys and girls, it's always important when beginning to solve a word problem to ...

UNDERSTAND (what I know, what needs to be solved) --> MAKE A PLAN (strategies to use) --> SOLVE (use pictures & number sentences) --> EXPLAIN (answer the question in words)

Not to worry, we're working hard on this in class and will continue throughout the school year!

TAPPING TECHNIQUE:

Have you heard about the "Tapping Technique?"  It's a scientifically proven technique that works to rewire the brain by sending calming signals to the amygdala, the stress center of the brain, allowing both the body and brain to release limitations from negative experiences, emotions, thoughts and much more that hold us back from creating the life we want.

Most people don't realize how big of an impact chronic stress has on their life.  It affects their health, their ability to think clearly, and their ability to be happy and to create the life they want.  It doesn't have to be this way though!

Check out the video below which gives you an explanation of tapping and how you can incorporate it into your life too!

My students and I have been using the tapping technique in our Brain Gym routine and its benefits are almost instantaneous as I noticed their brains and bodies were more calm, alert, and ready to learn.  

Please ask your child about the tapping technique (therapy) and give it a TRY at home.  May you too benefit from its calming signals sent straight to your brain (prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, cerebellum, and cerebrum).

Have a great weekend and KEEP TAPPING!

CRUZ:

Thank you Cruz for creating such a beautiful painting for our classroom.  Its message of peace and love is felt and will serve to bring about this positive energy for everyone in our class.  

Thank you also for gifting me with your very own hand picked wildflowers from your garden, they're stunning and smell so good!  The vibrant colours sure brightened my day.  I love them!

MOLLY:

Thank you Molly for taking the time on your indoor recess to make me such a beautiful card.  Your message "The sun always shines on you" made my day!!  

I will always remember your kindness.  I am so grateful to be your grade 3 teacher, Molly :)  

MINDFULNESS:

In class there is a daily emphasis on having an 'ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.'  What does this mean?  Gratitude is the feeling of being thankful and appreciating the people and world around you.  It's an emotion or feeling, just like happiness, sadness, and anger.  

You feel gratitude when you're thankful for things like your family, friends, your health, and everything else that makes you happy.  In fact, when you feel grateful for anything - no matter how big or small --> THAT'S GRATITUDE!

Watch the video below and learn more about this way of living your life.  My hope is that it will inspire you and your family to continue noticing and appreciating all the things in your life :-)

GROWTH MINDSET:

From my heart to yours MEEGWICH,

Ms. Gill