School

We have been doing some fun things in school.

Spelling:  We wrote on our tables instead of whiteboards which they though was great, and it meant that we had very clean tables after washing them.

Bible:  In Bible we just finished the life of Joseph.  The story is always easy for the students to relate to and understand, and we do a quick gloss over Potiphar's wife.  :)

Science:  We are studying weather and created lightning and tornados this week.

Writing:  We are in the publishing stage of our personal narratives.  It is wonderful to watch them work through the writing process.  Almost all of them choose to type their final drafts at this point and they have a great assortment of stories saved in google drive.  Using technology in writing can be slower due to the lack of typing skills, but it definitely causes in increase in enthusiasm for writing.

Math:  We are working on multiplication.  It comes so easily to some students and others struggle.  Once you understand the concept (equal groups of numbers) then I think it really comes down to constant practicing and memorization.  I was using all sorts of programs with Toby, but this year switched to good old paper flashcards and we had great success.

Reading:  We are reading informational texts.  In my classroom, the students read their own books at their own levels.  This means that when I listen to them read and talk with them about their reading, I end up learning quite a bit also.  I have students reading about many different topics, from WWII to Penguins.  Did you know that penguins (maybe it's a certain type, I can't remember) lay two eggs with time between the laying.  When the second egg is laid, they kick the first one out of the nest and concentrate on the second. The student reading that book thought that was pretty horrible.


I love this class.  Most of us have been together for two years which just adds more depth to our relationships and the new students have integrated seamlessly.  We have a lot of fun together and they amaze me each day with their knowledge and eagerness to learn.

On Friday we are going to the movies to see Paddington.  That will be a first for me, a field trip to the movies.  We read the book last year and Paddington is our little stuffed animal that sits on the Special Helper's desk each day, and goes home with students on the weekend, so we are excited about the movie.

We have some openings for elementary teachers next year.  If you are interested or know someone who would be great, let me know.