We had an AMAZING first week back! Students are quickly settling into routines and adjusting to the classroom setting. Over the last few days we have been establishing routines and catching up with our friends on what we did over the summer. We have welcomed some new friends to our school community and made them feel at home!
To recap our week, we continue to work on some important skills to ensure our classroom runs smoothly (ie- collaboration, communication) and we are also having discussions around how we learn best and in what kind of environment. The students have enjoyed their new flexible learning space. In this space you will find exercise balls for students to use as optional seating, a stand up desk for students who need to stand while doing work. There are a few areas where students can use yoga mats and clip boards to work on the ground. We have many vertical writing surfaces where students will be able to work in groups and show their thinking. We have a Social Emotional Learning area where students can use various strategies and tools that they have helped construct in order to calm down if they need to. We have a shout out wall for words of encouragement where students can write messages. As we look at different ways that children learn, we are adapting our learning environments to suit those styles.
The students also spent the week taking pictures at the first day photobooth. Students had the opportunity to be a little wacky with their props. Students then shifted their thinking to a more serious topic and discussed what some of the hopes they had for the world. I have created a video with all their hopes, as soon as we have all student permissions for pictures, I will post the video on our blog and twitter. Some very powerful hopes and dreams for the future. As a grade 6 team, we have also come up with a motto/hashtag for our school year #BE THE CHANGE.Students spent the latter part of the week working on a letter to their "future self" to be opened on the last day of school/graduation. Students were very excited to write about their goals and their next steps. They included academic goals and personal goals for the year.
Now you can see why we had such an AMAZING first week back. I am very excited to be your child's teacher this year and to see all the great things I know they will accomplish throughout year! I look forward to meeting each and every one of you at our Meet the Teacher Night that will be held Tuesday Sept 20, 2016 at 6:45. ****Please be aware that instead of sending home newsletters reporting on what is happening in the classroom and notes, I will be using this classroom blog and twitter as communication to you. You do not need to have a twitter account in order to see messages, all you need to do is go to this blog site (found on the magnet that was sent home on the first day of school) and check in weekly to see what is happening in our classroom. If you need any assistance with this I can help you out at Meet the Teacher night. If you need to communicate with me, feel free to write in your child's agenda or call the school. I look forward to a GREAT year with your child!
Adriana Porcari
Your partner in your child's education