Week #4: Sept. 27th - 30th

Dear Families,

It's almost October!?  WOW!  Fall is such a beautiful time of year and we're so fortunate to live in a community (Nottawa/Collingwood) that is surrounded with abundant trails, trees, and nature so we can admire the changing colours of beautiful reds, oranges, and yellow!  

Many families rejoice in spending quality time outdoors hiking, biking, walking, and running so you know first hand what a beautiful area we get to live, work, and play in!  I look forward to being outside this weekend and hope you all will too :)

Castle Glen is one of my most favourite trails.  Have you been?

MEET THE TEACHER:

It was an absolute joy connecting with all the parents who were able to come meet me, see our classroom, and rejoice in all the wonderful new learning your child is partaking in thus far this school year! 

I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and I am so grateful I have your (parental) support to continue meeting your child's academic, social, emotional and behavioural needs.  Your enthusiasm and efforts to be a T.E.A.M. is greatly valued and cherished!

Below, you will see a collection of my slideshow photos that I created to help celebrate and honour the amazing learning we're doing such as being - A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS, a T.EA.M., building RESILIENCE, and demonstrating the 10 CHARACTER TRAITS. 

Please note, these key learning goals will be an ongoing theme in our classroom for the remainder of the school year because I strongly feel it helps children not only grow as students, but as people (the best version of themselves).

If at any time you wish to contact or set up a meeting with me, please do not hesitate to!  I can be reached via the agenda, phone call at the school (705. 445. 1827), or by email: pgill@scdsb.on.ca 

STONE SOUP:

Thank you to all the families who have sent in their RSVP for our special Stone Soup Celebration on Thurs. Oct. 6th.  This is very helpful as I prepare the seating and ensure that I have the required amount of items to enjoy our soup!

On the day of the event, I request that your child please dress in a black top and bottoms.  I will provide a coloured bandana to top off our 'look' ;)  We're striving to look, sound, and feel like a community of learners :)

Thank you to families who are interested in contributing to our soup building!!  I have spoken to some of you about what you're contributing.  Please know, your donations of vegetables are appreciated!

Your child will record what he or she is bringing into the agenda on Monday.  I ask that all veggies come to school on Tues. Oct. 4th.  On this day, your child may also bring in a peeler to school as we will require this to do some peeling when we're preparing the soup.

Many thanks in advance for your support in our special event!

LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE:

In your child's agenda you will find the lyrics to The Judds' song titled "Love Can Build A Bridge."  

Please have your child practice this song (see video below) over the weekend to become more familiar and content with the words.  We will be performing this heartfelt song for you next week at Stone Soup.  Your support in this is greatly appreciated!

NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH & RECONCILIATION:

Thank you to all students and staff who wore an orange shirt on September 30th to remember and honour our First Nations, Metis, and Inuit children who attended residential schools from the 1870's - 1990's.  

This is an event which is near and dear to my heart and one that must note solely be recognized on the 30th of September each year, but everyday!!!  Let's keep listening, reflecting, and making efforts to reconcile with our Indigeneous brothers and sisters.

Residential schools were government-sponsored religious schools established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. 

Here at Nottawa, WE CARE about what HAPPENED to the First People of Canada.  It is OUR MISSION to continue to LEARN & GROW from the past to help create a better and brighter present and future!!  Together, we can MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

With my former students Jeremy & Parker (they're in grade 7 now)

Thank you to the Lloyd family for gifting me two orange shirts, I love them both!!

In our THOUGHTS, WORDS, and ACTIONS - we will demonstrate that EVERY CHILD MATTERS, now ... and ALWAYS!!!

Since the beginning of school, our class has done a lot of thinking and learning about the survivors and non-survivors of the residential school experience.  It brings me immense joy seeing my students demonstrating such empathy (thinking about the feelings of others) towards all First Nations, Inuit, and Metis men and women who attended residential schools.  This truly demonstrates true character and I'm so proud of my students!

We have discussed that we cannot change the past, but it is UP TO US to make a BETTER and BRIGHTER PRESENT AND FUTURE.  

To help achieve this goal of ours, we have an anchor chart posted in our classroom about ways that WE can move towards RECONCILIATION. 

ART:

To help honour the Indigenous culture and heritage, we made dreamcatchers in art class.  But before we started this task, we learned all about its significance in the video below :)  

Check out some of the kids holding their dreamcatchers, they turned out well :)  I hope your child is able to hang his or her dreamcatcher in a special place to enjoy and REMEMBER the importance of The National Day of Truth & Reconciliation (formerly known as 'Orange Shirt Day).

Reading:

Throughout the week, we've been listening to the stories by various Indigenous authors about First Nations and Indigenous children's experiences at residential schools.  

When I've been sharing the books, songs, and video recordings, students are fully engaged, attentive, and truly expressed their empathy as they think about the feelings of all the Indigenous boys and girls affected by attending residential schools. 

In the video below, Chief Robert Joseph shares his experience as a residential school survivor and the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada.

After viewing the video in class, I was so moved by my students curiosity, questions, responses, and learning to be truly grateful to be in a school that is safe and fosters equality and love.

WRITING:

After several oral discussions, students were given the opportunity to think about and reflect upon the following questions:

• What wearing an Orange Shirt mean to you?  
• Why do we have a Truth & Reconciliation Day?
• What does Phyllis Webstad's message "Every Child Matters" mean to you?

Students used the template below to record their responses.  We worked hard on our responses in class today and our writing thus far is filled with empathy, honour, and respect for our Indigenous Peoples.  

Please note, your child's Orange Shirt Day writing will come home in the next while for you to admire, stay tuned!

As part two to honouring The Day of Truth & Reconciliation, each student also has started their own logo for an orange shirt day design using a specific criteria:

• You must create an original design
• The t-shirt must be mostly orange
• The message "Every Child Matters" must be present

We will continue working on these next week and I'm excited to see your child's finalized DESIGN & LOGO!!

MATH:

You will have received a math note with the specific expectations that I will be teaching in Number Sense & Numeration.  Below, you will find the specific expectations.  

Specific Expectations:

• read, represent, compose, and decompose whole numbers up to and including 1000
• describe ways numbers are used in everyday life
• compare and order whole numbers 0 - 1,000
• round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100
• count to 1000, including by 50s, 100s, and 200s using a variety of tools and strategies
• use place value when describing and representing multi digit numbers using base ten materials

Below, you will find my math lesson, anchor chart, and what the students will be learning over the next while using the specific learning expectations above. 

Homework - "Reinforcing Learned Concepts at Home:"

Beginning next week (Mon. - Fri.), your child will be assigned homework (see picture below) for WORD STUDY and EXTRA MATH PRACTICE. 

Please know the purpose of this is for your child to not only practice learned concepts at home, but also to gain valuable learning skills and work habits such as responsibility, initiative, independent work, cooperation, and self-regulation.  

I believe working on these skills at a young age will serve your child well and prepare them as they head into higher grades in their academic journey :)  

I have prepared a parent note for my homework expectations.  It will come home with your child in his or her agenda on Monday.  Stay tuned!

BOOK EXCHANGE:

Once a week, students will have an opportunity to sign out a book from the library from Mrs. Johnson.  I will do a mini-lesson around “Making Good Reading Choices.”  

Throughout my years of teaching, I notice that many students lean towards choosing books of interest, which is a GREAT thing, but I also want them to be mindful of choosing a “’JUST RIGHT” book.  

For example, a “just right” book: perfect choice for grade level, some difficult words, but you can learn them, read for enjoyment, become a better reader, and read it fluently (sounds like talking).  

Here's a chart posted in our classroom to help us make the right choices.  Check it out below!  

When your child comes home with his or her library book, it is my hope, it will be one that isn’t too easy, isn’t too challenging, but …JUST RIGHT!

CHARACTER RECOGNITION:

This month’s character trait is Caring – “We show kindness towards each other.”  Please know, I will take time on my blog posts to share and honour the recipients. 

I strongly believe an important part of our learning is to build and instill character in our children.  As a teacher, I do my best to model these traits consistently in my thoughts, words, and actions. 

Today, we recognized students from grades K-8 for Caring.  Congratulations to Molly and Ayden for demonstrating caring on a consistent basis! 

Molly and Ayden are true models for 'showing kindness towards your peers and teachers!'  

Thank you for setting a positive example in and out of our classroom community!  I am so proud of you both!  

I hope you enjoyed your pizza luncheon with all our CARING RECIPIENTS this month.  

JONAS & FAMILY:

Thank you Jonas for gifting me with a gift certificate for NatureMarket.ca.  

In class, I often share that "HEALTH IS WEALTH" and he made this connection and knew that I'd appreciate shopping for delicious and healthy ingredients for my family :)

Awww, you're the sweetest and kindest, Jonas!  I know my Ma will appreciate this certificate as well because she's a strong believer in living green, clean, and organically!

ELLIS:

I absolutely love seeing and hearing about my student's continuing their learning from school at home too!  This is exactly what Ellis did :)  

On the PA Day on Monday, Ellis wrote a personal and friendly letter to his favourite Jays player.  He shared about his passion for baseball and aspirations to one day join the MBL :-)  

If you dream it, you can ACHIEVE IT Ellis!  I believe in you!!  

Ellis' letter writing is neat, clear, and thoughtfully written.  Way to go!!

Check out Ellis' illustration of his Jays hero, how sweet is this!?  AMAZING :-)

MINDFULNESS:

A brief look into a residential school survivor sharing his story.  We cannot change the past, but we can learn and remember what happened to help create a brighter future.  It is our responsibility to LISTEN, ACT, and UNITE with The Indigenous Peoples of Canada to show that we CARE and THEY MATTER.  The injustices that they endured was not and is not ok. 

EVERY CHILD MATTERS.  No one should be treated unfairly or unjustly.  Let us stay united and "Move forward in the spirit of RECONCILIATION & RESPECT!!

GROWTH MINDSET:

Today marks the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. I encourage all staff, students, and families to continue to learn more about the residential schools in Canada.

Think about ways that you will RECONCILE in your thoughts, words, and actions.  What can you do?

Thank you to Phyllis Webstad and the

@OrangeShirtSoc

for your important work, today and every day. #EveryChildMatters

From my heart to yours MEEGWICH

Ms. Gill