STAND UP for Bullying Prevention!



Stand UP!  We are building, promoting, and celebrating our HAPPY, STRONG HEARTS!


Dear Families,

Nov. 18th-22nd was dedicated to Bullying Prevention!  This is an issue that is near and dear to my heart and as your child's teacher, I am reinforcing the importance of creating, building upon, and maintaining happy hearts in and out of our classroom.  Our Community of Learners Agreements help guide us everyday - Attentive Listening, Mutual Respect, NO PUT DOWNS, Right to Participate, Right to Pass.  We regularly refer to this agreements as a reminder for us all to treat our peers, friends, and family with kindness, dignity, and respect.  I feel this will help in creating a happy, safe, and caring world.  I believe in all my students and their abilities to reach out to do their part in making a positive difference for our today and tomorrows ... together we can help put an end to bullying!!!

Activity:  Happy to Scarred Hearts:
In our class, we did an activity to create an Awareness to how deeply affected one can be when they are put down and bullied.  First, I had the students draw a large heart on a piece of white paper.  Next, I had them observe their 'Hearts.'  Then, I asked them to crumple their paper and throw it to a peer across the room.  Finally, each student opened up their peer's heart to see what it looked like.  Following this observation, we had a powerful discussion of how once you hurt someone's heart you create "crumples or scars that remain with that person that are difficult to heal and bring back to its original happy state."  We also discussed the term "Bystander" and what it means.  A bystander(s) is a person or group of people who see bullying happening yet don't do anything to help.  In other words, they witness the bullying and walk away which ultimately continues and promotes this unkind cycle of hurt.  As a class we signed "The Pledge to End Bullying" to help do our part!  My class is part of a beautiful, loving community of learners and it is our hope we will continue to be so and encourage other students in our school the importance of no put downs!

Please enjoy a few pictures from our lessons last week for Bullying Awareness!  Each student participated with an open heart and mind ... thank you!!!

Justifying Jax offering his thoughts, feelings, and emotions about his peer's heart

Marvelous Mikaila and Justifying Jax comparing a happy vs. scarred heart

Strategies your child can use to help him/her persevere with a difficult/challenging task!

When our heart is bullied, the scars remain with us no matter how hard we try to "uncrumple" them.

Thank you Jolly Julia for gifting our classroom with this meaningful book!

Thank you Mrs. Bell (Daniel's Mom) for donating this uplifting, powerful read aloud to our classroom library! 

Thanks again Mrs. Bell for your donation!  We're celebrating our differences - UNIQUENESS!  We're all one of a kind :)

The Pledge!  Our Pledge!  Starts NOW!

Sensational Steven, Jovial Josie, Terrific Trista saying "together we can and will make a difference!"

Quote:
"Your thoughts become your words.  Your words become your actions.  Your actions become your destiny."

With All My Heart & Namaste,
Miss Gill    
        

Dear Families,

Is it mid-Nov.?!  WOW, the temperature this weekend was feeling more like spring!  I don't know about you, but I adore the warmer climate, but do appreciate the snow for all the winter fun like snow-shoeing, skiing and snowboarding.  I spent the weekend 'winterizing' and ensuring my home is ready for the cooler weather which will be here oh so soon :-)  I hope you had a delightful weekend with your loved ones and enjoyed the beautiful weather. 

Student-Led Conferences:
It was a true pleasure meeting with all my students' families last week.  Thank you for taking the time to attend and help celebrate and enjoy all your child's achievements thus far in the school year.  I was so proud of each learner as they diligently led the interview beautifully by sharing their self-assessment (Progress Report), and their "Star" and "Arrow" pieces of work.  It was their chance to shine and they certainly lit up our hearts and minds!  Throughout the Conferences, I experienced many heart-warming moments with parents and I deeply appreciate and value all your positive and constructive feedback.  I will use it to continue to provide my best as an educator for your child's academic, social, and behavioural needs.  Meeting the needs of my students is of utmost importance to me and I will always work hard to ensure they receive a compassionate, caring, and safe environment to learn in.  Again, thank you for your support, cooperation, and understanding.  If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.

Here are a few pictures of my students working on their Progress Reports in class and contributing their thinking to our Success Criteria for Learning Skills.  Enjoy :)

Gracious Grace, Wonderful Wyatt, Outstanding Owen

Steven, Grace, Owen



Owen ensuring his thinking 'Looks Right!  Sounds Right!  Makes Sense!



Izzy sharing her criteria for Self-Regulation

Terrific Trista goal-setting!

Brilliant Bradley ready for the camera and starting his self-assessment!

Jovial Julia always putting in her personal best to achieve her goals!

Mrs. Roth:
I would like to introduce you to a very special educator, mentor, friend and person in my life.  There are many parents who may have heard about "Mrs. Roth" in their homes through their child's T.W.A.S, Mother Earth Treasures, The Talking Stick, Love Can Build A Bridge, colourful bandanas, her visit to our classroom and seeing her at our Cooperation Assembly. 
Mrs. Roth is a cherished member of our Learning Community.  She has contributed her time, efforts, love with us all.  Her passion for helping children grow into their best selves is most admirable and valued.  She came into our Learning Community to help celebrate your child at our Character Education assembly.  I know it meant a lot to the students to finally meet her and get to know the compassionate, caring, and thoughtful person she is.  Thank you Mrs. Roth for consistently supporting, loving and caring about our learning!  We HONOUR YOU.  xo.


Wonderful William and attentive Mrs. Roth sharing a moment about the 'Golden Rule!'

Mrs. Roth had each learner provide feedback about their experience performing 'Love Can Build A Bridge.'

We did it!  So proud of my students for their excellent performance at the Cooperation Assembly!

Sensational Sammi, Respectful Ryan, Amazing Alexandra - thank you Mrs. Roth for the delicious treats!

Love Can Build A Bridge - we are the EVIDENCE! 

Cooperation Recipients:
Congratulations to Steven, Julia, and Trista for demonstrating cooperation in your thoughts, words and actions!  You are a model for 'Working Together To Get the Job Done!'  Thank you for setting a positive example in and out of the classroom!

Our Cooperative Recipients - Spectacular Steven, Jolly Julia, and Terrific Trista!  Well done!

Letters to Parents:
Last week, I sent a number of letters home to parents regarding the various New Learnings for different subject area.  For example, I sent home a note about our Social Studies, Health, and Math (they were stapled together on coloured paper).  Please do take the time to sit with your child and discuss the new Learning Goals for these subjects as this provides you both with key information that is being discussed at school.  Thank you in advance for those families who do this, it makes a remarkable difference in your child's learning.

Multiplication:
Last week's "Extra Math Practice" focussed on multiplying numbers.  In class, we are learning various ways/strategies to multiply numbers: namely - repeated addition, using arrays, creating groups, the Lattice Method, practicing with flashcards.  When I was growing up as a child, I spent a lot of time practicing my times tables at home over and over until I memorized my 1x - 12x tables.  However, in my classroom, I am doing my best to provide as many ways for my students to practice and review their multiplication so they can become more confident in this area of math.  Having your support at home is greatly appreciated and valued.  Thank you.

Quote:
"Enjoy the little things - for one day you will look back and discover they were the big things."  Thank you to Mrs. Roth's sister Heidi for introducing and sharing this beautiful quote with us!

Namaste,
Miss Gill

    

Goal Setting to Improve Student Achievement!

Dear Families,                                                                           

This morning all staff and students participated in a Remembrance Day assembly to express our love, honour and gratitude to all those who have, are and will serve our country.  We truly are blessed to live in such a safe, caring and beautiful Canada.  As you know, each day as a whole school we sing O'Canada, as a teacher, during this time, I ensure that my students and I demonstrate our utmost respect and take time in our own way to say 'thank you' for being part of a wonderful community, country, and world.

'Success Criteria' for Learning Skills & Work Habits:

In my last post, I had mentioned that I would like for you and your child to go over the 'Learning Skills' and 'Work Habits' portion of the Progress Report.  I hope you enjoyed this process over the weekend.  In class, I had my students work in small groups to collaborate as a team to come up with their own 'Expectations' and 'Criteria' of what each Learning Skill "Looks Like, Sounds Like, and Feels Like."  The purpose of this activity is to encourage my students to set goals to help them improve their achievement in the areas of Responsibility, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative, Organization and Self-Regulation.  We will be referring to their 'Criteria' that they've established throughout the school year.  I believe in the importance and value of having my students' input and voices heard.  I strongly feel this activity will serve as a purposeful tool in helping my learners put effective work habits into place to help them achieve their personal best in their academic, social and behavioural learning.

Here are some pictures (I apologize for most of them being sideways) of what the students came up with!  We'll have a closer look at these when I see you in our Learning Community for our Conference.

Self-Assessment:
Last week, I also had my students write their own 'Progress Report' as a way for them to self-assess, celebrate their "Stars" (things they feel they do well), "Arrows" (areas of need) and 'Set Goals' for themselves in their learning.  Upon hearing that their teacher was getting them to write their own report card, many students' faces lit up as they felt it was their Chance to SHINE!  YES it is, as all my students are glowing lights :) Your child will be sharing his/her Progress Report (self-assessment) with you at the Student-Led Parent/Teacher Conference this week!    

Here are some students working hard at 'Goal Setting' to improve their achievement!  

Wonderful Wyatt!

Sensational Sammi!

Spectacular Steven!

Jolly Julia!

Anjoli, Sammi, Grace - sharing their 'Stars & Arrows'

Daniel, Owen, Wyatt - attentively listening to one another's achievements!

Alexandra, Carrie-ann - delighted to be partners to share their thinking!

I look forward to seeing you this Thursday (afternoon/evening) and Friday (morning) for our Conference.  It will be an exciting opportunity for us to celebrate your child and all the wonderful learning he/she has achieved thus far!  Until soon ... keep smiling :-)

Quote:

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle which you may know nothing about.  Be kind.  Always."

Namaste,

Miss Gill

Mathematicians Hard At Work!

Dear Families,

I would like to start my blog by extending my warmest thank you for the yummy treats you provided for our HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION last Thursday!  The students and I enjoyed them very much!  In our classroom we use a "Talking Stick" to share our "thoughts, feelings, and emotions."  It is an opportunity for all our voices to be heard one at a time, while the rest of us listen with our eyes, ears, and heart.  Each child had the opportunity to share: "What was your most memorable Halloween ever?"  It was fabulous hearing all the amazing memories my students have with their families.  I can tell they cherish all that you do for them!  From our hearts to yours ... THANK YOU!!!

Spooky Black and Orange 4th Graders!

Math Learning:

Last week, the students finished up their Survey Questions, charts/tables, bar graphs, and explanations with their math group.  They truly adore working in small groups to get the job done!  Once they finished their graphing task, each group had the opportunity to consolidate (share) their math thinking with the whole class.  In our class, we use a "Document Camera" to display and share student work.  They love using the document camera as it is an interactive learning tool to share their thinking! 
Enjoy seeing our mathematicians hard at work:  Displaying and Consolidating their Learning!

Grace, Jakeb, Alexander - using the document camera.

William, Xavier, Ryan - proud math thinkers!

Owen, Wyatt, Trista - "Our graph tells us..."

Eryn, Jax, Daniel - enjoying collecting data and celebrating their work!

Carrie-ann, Josie, Mikaila - effectively sharing their data with their peers.

Alex, Carrie-ann, Josie, Mikaila - receiving "descriptive feedback" from their classmates.

Julia, Alexandra, Sammi - "working together to get the job done!"

Success Criteria:

Success Criteria is another word for a checklist.  You may have heard your child use this term or seen these little checklists attached to student work. We create these lists as a class BEFORE students work on an assignment.  They are designed to help the students monitor their learning by allowing them to know exactly what they need to include in their work to achieve a level 3.  If they go above and beyond the criteria they can achieve a level 4.  We have little sayings in our classroom for each level; here's one for Level 4, it goes like this - "I did all my work, and then some more, that's why I earned a four!"  By using success criteria, we are learning how to evaluate our work and identify our strengths (stars) and next steps (arrows). We use them in all subjects and learning skills to help the students know what they need to do to succeed.  Here is an example:

Learning Goal:  We are learning to show data on a bar graph.

Success Criteria:

____  My graph has a title

____  My graph has a title for the x axis 

____  My graph has a title for the y axis.

____  My graph has an appropriate scale.

____  My graph has labels.

____  My graph has neatly coloured bars to show the data.

____  My bars (data) match my tallies. 

Check out some of the students' completed graphs using The Success Criteria to help them achieve their personal best!



Wyatt, Trista, Owen - great job neatly organizing and displaying your data!

 

William, Xavier, Ryan - your data LOOKS right!  It SOUNDS right!  It makes SENSE!

Bradley, Steven - I like how you highlighted important parts of your explanation!

Jax, Eryn, Daniel - working as a team to achieve lesson goals, way to go!

 

Izzy, Abigail, Paige, Anjoli - working towards choosing an appropriate scale for their data

Sammi, Julia, Alexandra - thank you for putting in your personal best girls!

REMINDER:

Progress reports go home this Friday!  Please take the time to go over the "Learning Skills" portion of the report card and what each skill means.  It is these Learning Skills that will assist in creating and putting in Good Work Habits to assist in furthering your child's academic successes.  I am so proud of my students' achievements thus far in the school year!  They have worked diligently hard to do their best thinking and learning :)  It is a joy watching them grow academically, socially, and behaviourally.  Each student has worked towards demonstrating "Our Class Promise" in their thoughts, words, and actions!

QUOTE:

"Our Class Promise - today I will be the best person I can be.  I will respect myself, my teachers, and my classmates.  I will speak kindly to others and include them in my work and play.  I will listen with my eyes, ears, and heart.  Today, I will make good choices and I will make a DIFFERENCE!  This is who we are EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING!"

Please ask your child about "Our Class Promise" and the actions that go along with it!  It is truly a highlight to my day watching your child demonstrate "Character" in and out of the classroom! 

Namaste,

Miss Gill