I wanted to start off by saying that I am just so grateful to be your child’s teacher. Each day, they bring me and each other so much joy. When I was off for the week after my knee injury (recovery is going well, finally), the two TOCs informed me that they worked so hard in my absence which made me feel so proud and appreciative. I also thoroughly enjoyed receiving the daily emails from students telling me about their day and reminding me of how much they missed me and loved me. I missed them dearly so that made my absence at least bearable. I thoroughly enjoyed responding to their emails too! I’m sure it helped with my healing! 🙂
This past week was really tough because our sweetest guinea pig, Hazelnut, passed away on Family Day. I knew that going back to work the next day would be hard and it was. It was very hard but you know what I knew was going to make a difference and lift me up? Yes, you guessed it…spending time with your children. Their smiles and their love filled my broken heart. Honestly, it was them that helped me heal a little more each day so thank you for sharing them with us.
Pink Shirt Day
Mr. Phelps read a story to us in the morning called A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo. Then we watched a video about how the day was created by Travis Price. Click here to watch. I was hoping to be able to share with you our class PowerPoint on the theme for us year: Lift Each Other Up but it is not quite finished yet. Each student was assigned a slide to share what that means to them. I love what I see so far!
Check out the video that Mr. Greenwood put together. It can be found on the Gilmore website.
We are mathematicians.
We have been learning about measuring perimeter and area. Please feel free to review these videos at home:
On Thursday, we did a quick Show What You Know (so far) and a number of students can use some extra review at home so please check with your child, thank you. We will continue to solidify and deepen understanding this week.
Black History Month
We learned about Harriet Tubman and did some reflective perspective writing. The writing I saw about slavery was so expressive and truly knocked my socks off.
We are readers.
Students have learned a new technique to practice increasing their reading fluency. I learned this from Jim Kwik. He is a brain and memory coach who wrote a book called Limitless. I recommend reading the book or listening to his podcast. I’m a new follower and find that his tips for learning are insightful. He has some great tips on studying you may want to dive into especially as your children move into the intermediate grades and highschool.
Here’s what we did. We read as many words as we can in one minute. Then we did this again. It is truly incredible how many more words they can read in that period of time. We did it again to discover that we hadn’t reached our potential yet! Of course, the most important part of reading is to fully comprehend and to make connections but this is just one strategy in increasing fluency, which is what some students need to work on.
Report cards go home this Friday. Please sign the envelope and return to school on Monday. Thank you!
As always, we are so grateful for your continued support at home.
With great appreciation, Ms. Chan (and Mrs. Paulich)
We have had another great week together! During our community circle, we always begin with sharing our feelings. This week, we learned synonyms for happy. There is a growing understanding that we can build our emotional intelligence by building our emotional vocabulary. (Read a Forbes article about a podcast interview with Brene Brown and Marc Brackett to learn more about how children can understand themselves and others better.) Challenge your children to share how they are feeling by using different words beyond: happy, mad, sad. Model it by choosing to use different words to describe your emotions.
We are mathematicians.
Thank you for supporting your child’s learning about geometry at home. I am reviewing the Show What You Know assessments and am just so proud of how far they have come since our first assessment before we started. Remember this is not the same as a test. A “test” feels final…only ONE opportunity to show what they know. Learning is a journey so this is just a snapshot of their learning for right now. Children who need more time to learn the same concepts will continue to have opportunities to learn. Math is so foundational. My goal is for them to become proficient in their understanding because if they know it well enough to teach someone, their depth of knowledge is greater.
On Monday, your child will come home with both the pre-assessment and the one they just did. Please compare and celebrate their growth by writing a positive note on their paper, sign it, and return to school. Thank you for your support! We will be learning about measurement next.
We are scientists.
This past week, we worked with a partner to create a demonstration of our understanding of the rock cycle. They were given a choice of using the Book Creator app or Puppet Pals on the iPad. I love finding different ways for students to show what they know especially when they can use their creative and critical thinking! I am also so proud of how well they work with each other. I am looking forward to sharing their projects with you! Music to a teacher’s ears is when students say, “This is so much fun!”
We can reflect and self-assess.
Students completed a self-assessment on their attitude, work habits, strengths, and goals. They even worked on writing a report card for Ms. Chan as a midway point to provide feedback on how the year is going so far. It gives them a voice to share their views on our classroom community and how we can further improve it. I always learn so much about how they feel and I love reading about how much they enjoy coming to school!
What to do at home
If you or your child are looking for what to do at home, here’s a list:
Read daily and talk about what they just read. Talk about what you’re reading too!
Write daily (because reading and writing are both skills, it requires practice, practice, and practice).
Passion Project
Writer’s Workshop (story)
All the Right Type
Practice Math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). We will be starting multiplication after spring break so it will be SOOO helpful if they knew their math facts before then. You can use the same games I showed you in our Math games night to practice multiplication.
Thank you for your continued support at home. We appreciate you immensely!
Guess what? We had yet another awesome week together! I really do believe our time together is full of happiness and that is planned with great intention and every single interaction is intentional to uplift your child.
I have a monthly blog series on the Teach Better Team called the Gift Better series. Each month, I share a new concept that I see as a gift. These are things that are not generally seen as gifts and we often take these for granted. Since the pandemic, I started to see gifts all around us which led me to feel so much more gratitude for the simple things in life. The more I looked around, the greater the joy I found that exists all around us. It was there my whole life just waiting for me to discover. My hope with this blog series is that others begin to see the same gifts and ones that have been waiting for them to discover.
Just today, my latest post was published called The Gift of Happiness. I share this because when you read it, it will give you a glimpse into how our days in the classroom begin and how much happiness we share every day. Helping children feel happy and learn to live a healthy life with good habits of the mind that include developing an understanding of how to live a life filled with passion, kindness, gratitude, integrity, love, and joy is my goal every day. These life skills and habits, when reinforced throughout their formative years, will lead them to a greater sense of self-awareness, self-worth, self-love, self-discipline, self-compassion, and overall well-being.
Many of the posts I write come from my experience in the classroom. Another example is The Gift of Leadership. If you would like to learn how I am developing each one of your children as leaders, then please check that post out too. I was so humbled that this post and The Gift of Gratitude were two of the most popular posts on the Teach Better website for 2021 from the 500+ blogs that were published last year!
Last week was Literacy week!
The book chosen for our school-wide theme for the week was What’s My Superpower by Aviaq Johnston. It’s one of my favourite stories! She is a young author from writer from Igloolik, but currently living in Iqaluit, Nunavut.
This is a story about Nalvana, a young girl who sees other people’s superpowers and wonders what her superpower is. We had great discussions on the strengths we all have, how we shine in this world, and what gifts we bring to the people close to us. I absolutely LOVED reading their paragraphs as they dove into just one of their superpowers. It is so important to truly know ourselves and our strengths so we keep building on them as we build on our self-awareness and sense of self-worth.
Students LOVED reading with their flashlights in the gym and thoroughly enjoyed our alphabet scavenger hunt as we found words on our shirts. We won a class prize for this…a set of books for the class! The Dress up Like a Word day was a great success with creative costumes! On Friday, we appreciated Mr. Greenwood for being our guest reader.
Reminder: The Family Literacy BINGO sheets are due on Monday, January 31st. Hope you enjoyed the activities as a family! We also hope that these family activities continue throughout the year and not just for a week!
We are mathematicians.
This past week, we continued to learn and review geometry concepts. Students were given their first formal opportunity to show what they know last Wednesday. This was just a first snapshot! They will have another opportunity next Thursday, February 3rd to show what they know again.
I highlight the fact that learning is a journey. We celebrate what we already know and focus our time and effort on learning what we don’t know well yet until they are proficient. My goal is for them to understand concepts well enough so they can teach others! This is a deeper level of understanding than being able to complete a worksheet with accuracy. So, to prepare for next week, have your child explain the concepts to you, their stuffies, or have them record the math “lesson” on an iPad or tablet to watch and review. As Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
Reminder: Keep encouraging your child to practice their math facts daily! Spending even five minutes a day, stacked with a habit, will go a long way in building their confidence with calculating facts.
We are artists.
Mrs. Paulich does amazing art projects with the kids. Check it out!
Book Recommendation
This past week, I started reading The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. This was a book I’ve had on my list to read for a number of years. I mention it because from what I’ve read so far, I believe it can help you better understand how your child’s brain is wired and strategies on how to effectively support their development. Now that I’m reading it, I really wish I read it when my kids were much younger so that’s why I’m sharing this with you! If you visit Amazon, you’ll see how popular this book is!
From Amazon: In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids throw tantrums, fight, or sulk in silence. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth.
I have read a number of books since the pandemic started. Check out my list here. If there is a book on my list that you’d like to hear more about, please feel free to ask and I’d be happy to share my thoughts. Also, if there is a book that you would highly recommend, please let me know. I love hearing about what others love to read! I prefer non-fiction because I am passionate about learning new things. Thank you!
As always, we appreciate your continued support at home. I will be sharing a short survey later this week as we are approaching the midway mark. Your feedback is very much appreciated. We want to finish the second half of the year strong! We are better together and stronger together. Thank you for being our partners in your child’s education.
What an awesome week we had together! We really do bring each other joy when we come together at school! My heart is filled with joy anytime I get to spend my day with them!
We are good digital citizens.
Last week, we were reminded of the importance of being good digital citizens. We reviewed our THINK acronym and talked about our digital footprint and how what we post is permanent. Our words and actions today may make an impact on our future so we need to be IMPECCABLE with our words (from The Four Agreements; see last week’s post as this was discussed).
Sending emails was introduced and students had a few opportunities to compose and learn how to write a professional email. There should be short subject line, an opening (like a greeting plus a name), the body of the email, a closing, and a signature. They have been receiving feedback on how professional their emails are looking. I know this meant that I have been receiving an extra 30 emails each time we practice this but I have thoroughly enjoyed connecting with your children beyond the walls and time in our classroom! Please reinforce the importance of being a good digial citizen who is impeccable with their words. Thank you for your support at home! You can always ask them to show you their emails too.
We are public speakers.
We finished all of our All About Me presentations last week! Wow! My socks were knocked off from the presentations! They have learned so much about how to create effective slides, how to have an engaging presence as a presenter, and how to improve for next time. I have loved the honest feedback they have provided to their classmates. They truly have been impeccable with their words in their compliments and suggestions for next time. They are bang on!
I also loved how they have learned from each other. One student who went first commented on how many people copied his idea for his ending slide. The student responded, “I was inspired by you.” That warmed my heart so much!!
Many have been asking about when they will be presenting their Passion Projects. We will review the criteria again so they are clear on what is expected. Then they will review their slides and presentation independently and then practice with a friend. I will also review with them to provide feedback. My best guess is that some may be ready to present in about 2-3 weeks.
We are mathematicians.
We continued to have fun as we learned more geometry concepts. Our goal is to always understand these concepts well enough so we become confident to teach someone else. Here are some vocabulary words that your child learning to understand and hopefully be able to explain and teach!
I plan to have a pre-test sometime this week just to check their understanding and for them to see how well they understand the concepts. When they bring it home, it will be clear to you what concepts will need further review. Thank you so much for your support at home!
We are ALL mathematicians!
What a great way to spend an evening! I felt SO grateful to have so many families join us for our Math night! I recorded the session and will be sharing that via email to everyone to review. I realized afterwards that I forgot to explain the Making 10’s strategy. Here they can play Go Fish. Each player has 5 cards. Instead of asking if you have a matching number, you ask for the number that makes 10. For example, if I have a 6, then I would say, “Do you have a 4?” because that equals 10. The game is played exactly the same as our traditional Go Fish except you are trying to match 2 numbers that equal 10.
Similarly, take a deck of cards. As they flip each card over, they say out loud the other addend that equals 10. For examples, if I flip over a 3, I say 7. If I flip over an 8, I say 2. If I flip over a 9, I say 1. The two numbers equal 10. The faster and more accurate they get, the more confident they are! Take turns or create two piles. The person who finished the pile first wins!
Thank you again for your support at home! I already heard some feedback and it made my heart feel so happy to know that you have already been playing these games at home! I appreciate you!
If you want a refresher without having to review the video, go to our Mathematicians Play page!
We are creators.
We continued to work on our Writer’s Workshop stories and started a new document in Word. Anytime you are looking for some work to do at home, they can always work on the following:
their story in Word
Passion Project
send someone an email to brighten their day!
In addition, they can also practice typing in All the Right Type and make sure they go to .ca and NOT .com. They can always practice their math facts too! Check out some games on this page.
We are kind.
We have been practicing being impeccable with our words. On Friday, I challenged them to be someone who brightens someone’s day. My heart was warmed when we shared the things we did. It could be as simple as telling a friend how thankful they are to be friends or doing something kind for someone. I hope they remembered to brighten your day over the weekend too! 🙂
Looking forward to another great week together! Should be fun seeing that it will be Literacy Week!
We appreciate you.
Sincerely, Ms. Chan (and Mrs. Paulich)
This upcoming week is Literacy week! Your child should have come home with a Family Literacy week BINGO sheet! The last day to return it will be on Monday, January 31.
On Tuesday, students are asked to bring a towel and flashlight as we will be heading to the gym to read.
On Wednesday, students are asked to wear shirts with words on it. We have a chance to win prizes!
On Thursday, it is dress up as a word day! Brainstorm some ideas and be creative!
Please see the notice about litterless lunches at Gilmore. It was sent home on Friday.
