Weekly News

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Our news for the week:

• Please make sure you sign-up for an item for our feast next week.  The sign-up is under "links."  Please send a main dish or side item, as our feast will take the place of lunch.  Any PTO lunch orders have been cancelled and the money refunded. 
• Please email me if you plan to attend the feast so we ensure there are enough seats, plates, etc. 
• When sight word and word family mini books, poems, plays, etc. come home, please make sure you read them together with your child.  They are skills that we have worked on in class and your child should be able to read independently as extra practice with specific phonics skills. 
• Please make sure your child is reading his/her reading folder books 3 times before getting new books.  The students know the routine for returning the bags to get new books.  If they are unsure, they just need to ask! 
• Please make sure you check and double check any theme bags before they come back to school.  Please also return the bag when you are finished so someone else can have a chance to use it. 
• Station papers from last week went home today.  You should have seen an improvement in the amount of work your child completed.  We've had several weeks to practice and students have been given ample time to complete the tasks assigned.  This morning, we had a heart to heart about the 4 types of learners we are seeing in class: 1.Students who are on-task and completing their work each day.  2.Students who are working but are being lazy, off-task, or taking advantage of choice and freedom.  3.Students who are working hard, but working slow.  4.Students who are not working.  I asked the class to reflect on who they were and make a choice to change during today's centers.  We also talked about the consequences for not finishing your work (whether due to a lack of time management or not trying your personal best).  I related the entire conversation to what happens in the "real world" when you have a job and a boss.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, all of the legal requirements for physical activity are met through P.E.  Therefore, students who did not complete specific and important assignments on the previous week will complete them during recess (with a max. of 3 assignments per day) until they are caught up.  We talked about why, answered many questions the students had, and encouraged them to try their personal best (because students who consistently put forth 100% effort will not be punished).  What an improvement it made already today!!!  Please do not be alarmed if your child comes home and says they had to do some work instead of play on a Tuesday or Thursday.  Mrs. Kang and I are trying to teach rational and logical consequences and rewards in a way that will make a life-long impact for your child, while maintaining a fun, happy, encouraging environment.  If this consequence does not work for some students or causes more harm than good, please know that we will not hesitate to do what's best for everyone.  =)