Week 1

Weekly Greetings!
 
Everything is ready to go! The start of a new school year has finally arrived! I am probably more excited than the students, as there are so many fun ideas rolling around in my head to make this a great year of learning for the group. I have added a few pictures of the class that the students will come in to see the first day. My hope it that it will be a comfortable place for them to grow and learn this year.
 We will have a couple of class pets. A little hamster that we will need to name, and a tadpole that we will watch become a frog. 

Our first week will be all about instructional and classroom routines. Though we will be doing regular content in reading, math, writing, and science we will also be covering "Six Keys" for fostering and maintaining high motivation and achievement. Everyone has a need to see these keys met, and we will address one a day. The keys are:
  • Safety from fear of embarrassment or physical harm.
  • Love and Belonging through inclusion, respect, and sincere caring.
  • Freedom and Independence through the option to make meaningful decisions and choices.
  • Fun and Enjoyment through meaningful engagement that provides gratification while learning.
  • Valued Purpose through knowing that what is being learned is purposeful to the learner.
  • Success through the recognition of accomplishments and growth in creativity, competence, skills, and knowledge.  
Each day we will discuss what that key looks like in our classroom community, and the students will make a book page for a Six Keys book to keep in class.  We will finish the unit next week.

Also, please fill out the permission slips being sent home for a field trip on Friday to the Tetlin Refuge Bird Banding Station. I will need both forms signed as Tim Lorenzini with the refuge will be driving one of the two vans needed for the class to go on the short trip.

I hope you all received my letter of introduction that was sent out by mail at the beginning of August. If you did not get one please let me know. A few reminders from that letter are:


Weekly Communication- At the beginning of each week, I will be sending home a letter informing you of our weekly goals. As a result of this information, I am hoping we will become a team in your child’s education. The letter will also be posted in this blog weekly.

Homework- To give the class some time to settle back into a school routine, I will start sending weekly homework beginning the first week in September, Monday through Thursday nights. It will be math facts practice and spelling to reinforce concepts presented in class. Also, home reading will be encouraged nightly and a reading log will be sent home on Monday to be returned the following Friday. Also remember that any classwork that was not finished will be done at the end of the day in class, and not sent home. If a child is sick, or a parent has made arrangements before traveling, then I will send some work home.

I hope you have an enjoyable week! 

 Kind Regards,

 Julie Brown
 

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